Page 50 - 1926 February - To Dragma

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 213

and after childbirth; the employment of young children and the working
and living conditions of seamen and stokers. The aim is to reduce econonu'c
rivalry, and the ill will that goes with it, by lifting the unfortunate workers
of the world up to the level of the more fortunate ones rather than to
pursue the old way of meeting competition by driving fortunate labor to
lower levels of living and the desperation of hopeless poverty. History
teaches that it is easier and wiser, and the fate of Russia warns us that it
is safer, for the prosperous classes to l i f t labor up than to try to hold it
down.

The First World Court of Justice

I further wonder i f all my friends in A K E fully realize the importance
of the fact that for now more than three years the first Permanent Court
of International Justice ever organized in the world has been sitting at the
Hague discharging its fateful duties with great satisfaction to forty-eight
nations. Three of our presidents, Roosevelt, T a f t and Wilson, f o r twenty-
two years, urged the other nations to join us in organizing just such a court
as this one is, as the best possible agency f o r the settlement of many
kinds of disputes which are constantly arising between nations. And
presidents Harding and Coolidge have both earnestly urged the Senate
to advise and consent to a treaty providing f o r adherence to this court
so that we may not only have the benefit of it in the settlement of disputes
but also so that we may join the other nations in supporting and developing
and improving this new agency of civilization and peace.

This court will live and serve without our aid, but with it there
are those who think it would ultimately become a tribunal with an
influence in international affairs making for peace, comparable to that
of the Supreme Court of the United States in our national affairs. I t
represents a most important first step forward toward the "rule of reason
and the reign of law" in the international world and I hope every loyal
AKE will do all in his power to aid President Coolidge in his effort to
have our government participate in the court on the conditions proposed
by President Harding. I f after having urged the other nations f o r so many
years to create this court we now refuse to join them when they offer it
to us, they must inevitably, and justly, think that through all the years of
advocacy of it by our presidents, we were insincere, perfidious and false.
Every consideration of national honor as well as of national interest re-
quires that we shall adhere to and do all in our power to sustain, develop
and improve this new agency of peace and justice in the world.

A Trust of Civilization

In all former wars surrendered territory with its inhabitants was
parcelled out among the victors to be dealt with in their discretion without
responsibility to any other nation.

I wonder i f all of my friends in A K E know that all the German
Colonies and all of the territory surrendered by Turkey after the World
War are now governed by Great Britain, France, Japan, Belgium, Australia,
New Zealand and the Union of South Africa, under mandates (charters)