The League of Nations and Its Problems: Three LecturesOppenheim, L. (Lassa)
History
The League of Nations and Its Problems: Three Lectures
Oppenheim, L. (Lassa)
League of Nations
IV. Every attempt at organising the desired new League of Nations
must start from, and keep intact, the independence and equality of
the several States, with the consequence that the establishment of a
central political authority above the sovereign States is an
impossibility.
V. The development of an organisation of the Community of States
began before the outbreak of the World War and is to be found in the
establishment of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague by
the First Hague Peace Conference of 1899. But more steps will be
necessary to turn the hitherto unorganised Community of States into
an organised League of Nations.
VI. The organisation of the desired new League of Nations should
start from the beginning made by the Hague Peace Conferences, and
the League should therefore include all the independent civilised
States.
VII. The objection to the reception of the Central Powers, and of
Germany especially, into the League.
VIII. The objection to the reception of the minor transoceanic
States into the League.
IX. The seven principles which ought to be accepted with regard to
the organisation of the new League of Nations.
X. The organisation of the League of Nations is not an end in itself
but only a means of attaining three objects, the first of which is
International Legislation. The meaning of the term 'International
Legislation' in contradistinction to Municipal Legislation.
International Legislation in the past and in the future.
XI. The difficulty in the way of International Legislation on
account of the language question.
XII. The difficulty created by the conflicting national interests of
the several States.
XIII. The difficulty caused by the fact that International Statutes
cannot be created by a majority vote of the States. The difference
between universal and general International Law offers a way out.
XIV. The difficulty created by the fact that there are as yet no
universally recognised rules concerning interpretation and
construction of International Statutes and ordinary conventions. The
notorious Article 23(h) of the Hague Regulations concerning Land
Warfare.
THE LECTURE
I. In my first lecture on the League of Nations I recommended the
following three rules to be laid down by a League of Nations:
Firstly, every State must submit all judicial disputes to an
International Court of Justice and must abide by the judgment of such
Court.
Secondly, every State previous to resorting to arms, must submit every
political and non-judicial dispute to an International Council of
Conciliation and must at any rate listen to the advice of such Council.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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