Unfortunately, however, international law has one great weakness which national law does not have. National law has what the lawyers call a sanction; that is to say, a penalty is prescribed for its violation, and courts are established for punishing those who violate its rules. But in the case of international law there is as yet no machinery for bringing to the bar of justice and inflicting punishment upon a nation which violates its international duties and obligations, except as the League of Nations may succeed in performing this function. The only punishment which has often followed such an act is the reprobation of public opinion, which unhappily, as the World War has demonstrated, is not a sufficient deterrent in the case of nations which regard lightly their obligations of honor and good faith. Thinking men the world over realize how important it is to make international law more effective, to compel nations by force or otherwise to observe their international obligations, and to prevent war, the world's greatest curse. =References.=--ASHLEY, The American Federal State, ch. xxix; also pp. 212-217. BEARD, American Government and Politics, pp. 160-163. FULLER, Government by the People, ch. ii. GARNER, Introduction to Political Science, ch. xi. HART, Actual Government, chs. ii-iv. HINSDALE, The American Government, ch. liv. =Documentary and Illustrative Material.=--1. Copy of the federal citizenship law of 1907. 2. Copy of the naturalization act of 1906. 3. Copies of naturalization blanks and of naturalization regulations (these may be secured from the bureau of immigration and naturalization). 4. Copy of an application for a passport (this may be secured from the department of state). 5. Copy of a passport. RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. What is a citizen? Distinguish between native-born and naturalized citizens; between citizens and electors. 2. Is the citizenship of a child determined by the law of the place where it is born or by the law of the place of which the parents are citizens? Distinguish between the English and American practice in this respect, on the one hand, and the continental European practice on the other. 3. What would be the citizenship of a child born in the United States if the father were the ambassador of a foreign country, temporarily residing here? What would be the citizenship of a child born of American parents on the high seas? of a child born abroad of American parents? of a child born in the United States if the father were a foreign consul here? 4. A child born in the United States of French parents would be a citizen of the United States under our law; it would also be a citizen of France, according to French law. Which citizenship would prevail? 5. Do you think our law should admit persons of African descent to become citizens and yet deny the right to Japanese, Chinese, and natives of India?