THE NATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
than through force. Concrete expression was given to this attitude
in the Hague Conferences of 1899 and 1907 which were participated
in by the delegates of our nation under positive instruction to exert
every effort toward the establishment of an international court.
Such a court, through the active participation of American states-
men and consistent with the principles laid down by our government,
has now been established and most of the leading nations of the
world have recognized and declared their adherence to it. Con-
sistent with the attitude which the United States has always mani-
fested, this Chamber urges that our government promptly take its
place with the other nations of the world in the International Court
of Justice. (Resolution, Tenth Annual Meeting, 1922.)
CoURT OF INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
The Chamber reiterates its conviction that the United States
should adhere to the protocol provided for the establishment and
maintenance of a permanent Court of International Justice, and
expresses gratification in the measures which are being taken by
our Government to that end. (Resolution, Eleventh Annual Meet-
ing, 1923.)
CoURT OF INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
The Chamber reiterates its position in support of the Interna-
tional Court of Justice and urges the Senate of the United States to
signify its consent to the proposal which has been made by the
Executive. The Chamber believes that the Court, being permanent,
composed of judges dealing with legal controversies, assuring con-
tinuity in the further development of international law, is thoroughly
sound in principle. The Court is essentially judicial, acts only
through trained judges; a country adhering to it incurs no obligation
to enforce its decrees, and does not even incur any obligation to
submit its own controversies except to the extent that it may see
fit at the time the controversy arises. The Chamber regards the
Court as a going concern of great value in the promotion of orderly
international processes, and believes the Court would be of far
greater value in these respects if given the moral support of the
United States; believes that any effort to scrap the Court and make
a new one would, even if successful, work no substantial improve-
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