ELIMINATION OF WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18374, 14 April 1923, Page 9

ELIMINATION OF WAR.

AMERICA AND THE LEAGUE.

RELATION TO THE COURT. SOUND AND SURE STEP. By Telegraph Association—Copyright. A. and N.Z. NEW YORK. April 12. Mr. H. C. Hoover, Secretary of Commerce, addressed a convention of women at Des Moines, lowa, to-day. He said that during the last two years the United States Government had- applied itself vigorously to the task of advancing the organisation in the world for the elimination of the causes of war. The Washington Conference was one step. Tho proposal that the United States should join tho World Court of Justice was another step. Tho speaker intimated that the United States' rejection of tho League did not mean that the United States had lost interest in the search for a solution of the problem of how to end war, and that the Court had none of tho faults of the League. He pointed out that direct negotiations between nations over grave differences often' led to war, but the Court offered a form of abdication eradicating this danger. He declared that The Hague Arbitration Court bad the demerit that it had settled disputes by compromise rather than by building Up a body of principle for the permanent establishment of international relations.

The reference of grave questions by statesmen to such a Court would be of great relief to him, saving him heated political opinions in his own nation during direct negotiations. The Court was a sound and sure step, and the minimum possible step in eliminating the causes of war. The Court did not lead tho United States into \ foreign entanglements, and wo did not subscribe to any compulsion, since no nation could summon us into .that Court without our consent. The connection of the Court with the League was remote. Mr. Hoover expressed admiration for Senator Borah's request that teeth bo put into the Court, but said that for reasons familiar to all, America was not yet ready to go thus far. War was too terrible to warrant any of us to bo condemned as idealists if we could but build even a little of the road to peace.

REPUBLICANS DIVIDED. FIVE FACTIONS IN PARTY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Heed- 5 p.m.) NEW YORK, April 12. The Washington correspondent of the New York Times states that Mr. Hoover's speech has. caused an avalanche of dissension between various factions in the Republican Party, while the Democrats stand aloof, feeling that they fought the League of Nations' issue in 1920, and their support for the League and the International' Court is still strong. The Republicans are divided into five classes —those for the Court; those utterly against it, such as Mr. Johnston; those undecided, such as Mr- Watson; those who think the Court not sufficiently powerful, such as Mr. Pepper and Mr. Borah; and, finally, those who think the Court and the League should both bo entered by the United States, with reservations, such as Mr. Lodge. There was much talk in Washington to-day among these groups, various Senators issuing statements airing their views. Mr. Harding's problem of reconciling the various factions grows increasingly difficult. Mr. W. B. Borah, in a statement in reply to Mr. Hoover, declared that if the United States was unwilling to subscribe to compulsory, arbitration it was unready to be governed .by international law. If different Governments likewise were not ready it was clear they proposed to b*| governed in the future, as in the past, purely by political machinery by members of political , forces. " Look over the record of the last three years," continued Mr. Borah. " The leading nations of Europe were pledged by the arbitration clauses of the League, yet on every vital question they voluntarily have chosen war instead of arbitration. I have not criticised the Court in principle; I believe in it thoroughly, but we ought to make this a real Court with Government by law, not by intrigue and secret diplomacy and politics. I believe we can do it; certainly it is worth while to try."