IX. The other point which I desire to mention before I leave the subject of International Administration of Justice concerns the notorious principle _conventio omnis intelligitur rebus sic stantibus_. You know that almost all publicists and also almost all Governments assert the existence of a customary rule according to which a vital change of circumstances after ratification of a treaty may be of such a kind as to justify a party in demanding to be released either from the whole treaty or from certain obligations stipulated in it. But the meaning of the term 'vital change of circumstances' is elastic, and there is therefore great danger that the principle _conventio omnis intelligitur rebus sic stantibus_ will be abused for the purpose of hiding the violation of treaties behind the shield of law. This danger will remain so long as there is no International Court in existence which, on the motion of one of the contracting parties, could set aside the treaty obligation whose fulfilment has become so oppressive that in justice the obliged party might ask to be released. Now, as the League of Nations is to set up an International Court of Justice, my proposal is that the Court should be declared competent to give judgment on the claim of a party to a treaty to be released from its obligations on account of vital change of circumstances. Of course the case would go before that Bench of the Court which is to serve as the Court of First Instance, and an appeal would lie to the Permanent Bench which serves as the Court of Appeal. X. Having given you the outlines of a scheme concerning International Administration of Justice, I now turn to International Mediation by International Councils of Conciliation. For a satisfactory proposal concerning International Councils of Conciliation two starting points offer themselves. One starting point is the special form of mediation recommended by Article 8 of the Hague Convention concerning the pacific settlement of international disputes. The following is the text of this Article 8: 'The Signatory Powers are agreed in recommending the application, when circumstances allow, of special mediation in the following form:-- 'In case of a serious difference endangering peace, the contending States choose respectively a Power, to which they intrust the mission of entering into direct communication with the Power chosen on the other side, with the object of preventing the rupture of pacific relations. 'For the period of this mandate, the term of which, in default of agreement to the contrary, cannot exceed thirty days, the States at variance cease from all direct communication on the subject of the dispute, which is regarded as referred exclusively to the mediating Powers. These Powers shall use their best efforts to settle the dispute.