The Dominion TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1928. AMERICA AND THE HAGUE COURT

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 54, 27 November 1928, Page 10

The Dominion TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1928. AMERICA AND THE HAGUE COURT

There appear,, to i= something™™ than mem T 'h r : Kg hhh«to , tas: SnitS’S the Court shall no M adyis op i n ion touching any dispute entertain any r q United States has, or claims, an interest. " ‘ ClaimS ” Wa K S that as advisory n<>t “ S XeVAmX has held aloof, to agreeAo this reservation would put f or thro g S { r^open i ng negotiations, however, does not t oriffinated with President Coolidge, as yesterday’s appear to have originated witn r the Qf reports wou d sugge . American Peace Foundation, Senator Gifletf introducedl a" motion in die Senate suggesting to the President afurtherExchange of views with the signatory States in order to establish whether the differences could be satisfactorily He explained that his object was to break the deadlock that had ksted for a year and a half; that while he stood by the Reservation in dispute, the difference between them and the other States reduced itself practically to the question whether it required a unanimous vnte or only a majority vote,- on any case coming before the Court. This’ difference, he contended, was capable of adjustment without aban T°he in Senate re dM V not vote on the question, as Senator Borah intimated that he would agree to have the official correspondence returned to the House for further discussion. . This assurance from the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee seems to have satisfied the Senate for the time being Since that occasion, however, the situation has been radically changed by the Kellogg Pact. The terms of this would enable the United States to incorporate m any agreement made with a foreign State a provision for recourse to the Court in disputes affecting either. The Kellogg Pact, however, has yet to be ratified by the Senate, together with the Fifteen 10,000-ton Cruiser Bill. Arising out of the latter, it is considered certain that it will be made the occasion for a general debate on maritime law, with the possibility of a proposal for an international conference on the subject. Upon this question Americans hold very strong opinions, and there can be no doubt that the International Court of Justice would be the most convenient recourse for the settlement of disputes in this connection. There is ample evidence that both President Coolidge and the President-elect, Mr. Hoover, regard the attainment of peace as something that caft be reached only through practical' agencies for the ventilation and settlement of disputes. In his speech of acceptance when nominated as the Republican candidate, Mr. Hoover declared that the party believed “that the foundation of _ peace, can be strengthened by the creation of methods and agencies by which a multitude of incidents may be transferred from the realm of prejudice and force to arbitration and the determination of right and wrong based upon international law.” The last two w >rds of this declaration possibly supply the key to the movement for reopening the question of the World Court of Justice. If the Kellogg Pact is ratified the right atmosphere should be created for the discussion.