LAW INSTEAD OF WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18342, 7 March 1923, Page 9

LAW INSTEAD OF WAR.

PROMISE OF WORLD COURT. AMERICAN ADHERENCE. PRESIDENT'S CAMPAIGN. ELOQUENT PLEA MADE. By Telegraph—Picss Association— Copyright A. and N.Z. WASHINGTON. March 5. The President, Mr. W. G. Harding, in a letter to the Lieutenant-Governor of Ohio. Mr. Bloom, in reply to a resolution of the Ohio Assembly commending his proposal that the United States should join the Permanent Court of International Justice, indicates that he intends to attempt to swing American public opinion in favour of such steps. Mr. Harding declared: — It is inconceivable to me that American people -who have for so long been devoted to this ideal should refuse their adherence now to such a programme as is represented by this tribunal. I feel the adherence of our country to ' the programme and purposes of the Court of International Justice would represent a long and important step toward the assumption of those proper and entirely 1 safe relationships to international affairs which should be borne by such a country as our own."

Mr. Harding stated that his request to the Senate had not been made without a most thorough and mature deliberation. " Those who are at this time invested with.the direction of the international relations of our country," he says, are firmly convinced that this move not only would represent a wise policy on the part of our own people, but would be em. phatic testimony to our purpose to encourage eveiy feasible project for establishing the rule of law as opposed to the rude of power in the world." Mr. Harding gave assurances that there was no idea of the United State? relinquishing control over its own fundamental rights and destinies. " But," he added. "we may be sure th'ac differences will always arise among States and peoples precisely as they have always arisen between individuals, and just as courts of justice in equity have been set up to determine issues between individuals, so it is proper and logical that provision should be made for like adjudication of those differences between nations and peoples which may be properly committed to such . determination. I look upon the establishment of a Court of International Justice, with the jurisdiction that has been given to it, as on« of the greatest advances that world society has made toward a condition In which at last the rule of law may be substituted for the rule of force."

In concluding Mr. Harding said : "The Court of International Justice looks to the settlement of issues before they become dangerously acute. It contemplates the elimination of the causes, of conflict and war feeling. Thus I cannot but believe our own country should be among the most devoted adherents to such a programme."