AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION Mr. HOLLIS R. BAILEY. Mr. Chairman, we have a change in the Constitution which perhaps affects the eligibility of the people nominated. Will you not pass upon the amendment to the Constitution before we hear the nominations? The CHAIRMAN. I am taking this from the program here. Mr. BAILEY. Even sometimes great Jupiter nods! Could not the Constitution, perhaps, be amended before we elect the officers? Dr. SCOTT. I should think so, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. The chair will take up first the amendment to the Constitution. Dr. SCOTT. Mr. Chairman, last year there was a proposition made by the Executive Council that in the future no elected member of the Executive Council should be eligible to reëlection unless one annual meeting had taken place between the term of his service and his new election. According to the Constitution, the amendment has to be formulated and sent to every member. That was done, and the following amendments to the first two paragraphs of Article IV of the Constitution were duly notified: (Omit words in brackets and insert words in italics) The officers of the Society shall consist of a President, an Honorary President, nine or more Vice-Presidents, the number to be fixed from time to time by the Executive Council, a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, and a Treasurer, who shall be elected annually, and of an Executive Council composed of the [President, the Vice-Presidents] foregoing officers, ex officio, and twenty-four elected members, whose terms of office shall be three years, except that of those elected at the first election, eight shall serve for the period of one year only and eight for the period of two years, and that any one elected to fill a vacancy shall serve only for the unexpired term of the member in whose place he is chosen. No elected member of the Executive Council shall be eligible for reëlection for a period of one year from the expiration of the term of office for which he was previously elected. The Recording Secretary, the Corresponding Secretary and the Treasurer shall be elected by the Executive Council [from among its members]. The other officers of the Society shall be elected by the Society, except as hereinafter provided for the filling of vacancies occurring between elections. The matter was again considered by the Executive Council at its meeting on April 27, and a slight change was proposed in the wording, which has been submitted to each member and of which we have copies here, in order to give effect to what was understood to be the intent of the framers of the resolution, as follows: Resolved, That the Secretary be, and he is hereby, authorized to present on behalf of the Council as an amendment to the proposed amendment to the Constitution the following: Modify the proposed insertion at the end of paragraph 1 of Article IV of the Constitution as follows: "No elected member of the Executive Council shall be eligible for reëlection until the next annual meeting after that at which his term of office expires. I would ask that the amendment be considered and put to a vote. The CHAIRMAN. The amendment to the amendment is adopted. The question recurs to the amendment as amended. Are you ready for the question? The question was called for. The motion was duly put and unanimously carried. The CHAIRMAN. The amendment as amended is adopted. Dr. SCOTT. Mr. Chairman, if the way be clear, I propose that the chairman of the Nominations Committee report. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS Mr. FRANK C. PARTRIDGE, Chairman. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen: The Committee on Nominations have assumed that the amendment which has just been adopted would be adopted, and in making their suggestions for the Executive Council, they have made entirely new nominations, considering ineligible those whose terms expire at this time. I am directed by the committee to present these recommendations: For Honorary President The Honorable WARREN G. HARDING For President Honorable ELIHU ROOT As Vice-Presidents Hon. CHANDLER P. ANDERSON Hon. SIMEON E. BALDWIN Mr. CHARLES NOBLE GREGORY Hon. ROBERT LANSING Hon. HENRY CABOT LODGE Mr. EVERETT P. WHEELER Prof. GEORGE GRAFTON WILSON For members of the Executive Council to serve until 1925 EDWIN M. BORCHARD JOHN FOSTER Dulles CHARLES G. FENWICK HARRY PRATT JUDSON ARTHUR K. KUHN' JESSE S. REEVES ELLERY C. STOWELL No other nominations having been made, upon motion, duly made and seconded, the Recording Secretary was instructed to cast a single ballot of the whole Society for the nominees recommended by the Committee on Nominations. The Recording Secretary reported that he had cast the ballot as directed, and the Chairman announced that the nominees had been duly elected to the respective offices. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS The CHAIRMAN. The next in order is miscellaneous business. The SECRETARY (Dr. SCOTT). There is no miscellaneous business that the officers have to put before the Society. Professor PHILIP MARSHALL BROWN. I would like to make just one remark. I take a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction in the progress the Society is making. I think the discussions we have had, whether of the laws of war or of peace, have been very illuminating, and I value them personally myself as a realization of a plan which I have had for years in mind. It seems to me that it is quite evident that we want to give this method of discussion a further development, and I would think it would be rather desirable, if the members of the Society felt free to place before the committees various suggestions; and to indicate what is in my mind I want to put this recommendation for consideration. I entirely sympathize with the feelings of my friends who cannot understand why when peace conferences gather together, or learned groups of scientists, their minds should seem to be focused on the problems of war. I quite sympathize with that feeling, and I think that as we go on we ought to be able to focus our minds on the constructive side of international law, the normal side, the determination of the relations between states. So I should like to move that this subject be referred for consideration to the Society. The SECRETARY. Mr. Chairman, would it perhaps meet with Mr. Brown's views if a resolution should be passed or an invitation extended to all members of the Society to present to the Committee for the Advancement of International Law an expression of their views on subjects which they regard as of importance. I should think it would be a very good idea if Mr. Brown would generalize his statement, suggesting that it be the sense of this meeting that all members of the Society should be invited to present the topics which they consider fall within the purview of the work of the Committee and of the Society. Professor BROWN. Yes, I would make such a motion as that suggested by Dr. Scott, in that phraseology, that the members of the Society be invited to present for the consideration of the Committee for the Advancement of International Law, subjects which they deem fitting for the study of the Society. The SECRETARY. And with an expression of their views. The CHAIRMAN. Is that motion seconded? Mr. FRANCIS W. AYMAR. I second the motion. Whereupon the motion was duly put and unanimously carried. Admiral HARRY SHEPARD KNAPP. Mr. Chairman, this is the first meeting of the Society that I have had the opportunity of seeing much of, and the first one in which I have served in any capacity except as a listener. I have been very much impressed with the fact that the committee meets on the morning of the day before its report is discussed, and draws up to the best of its ability a report which may come so late in the afternoon it cannot even be typewritten. It is not put in the hands of the members of the Society for study. Then we come to discuss it. I feel that the Society is in no position to discuss intelligently such great matters as have been presented here this morning. I do not offer a motion, but I ask the Secretary, who is familiar with procedure, if it is not possible in some way to have the committees meet beforehand, discuss their reports beforehand, and actually have them in print and in the hands of the members of the Society when they meet here for discussion. The CHAIRMAN. A very excellent suggestion. Professor HUDSON. Mr. Chairman, may I second what Admiral Knapp has just said, and ask Dr. Scott whether it would not be possible for us to adopt some procedure by which the committee reports could be printed and distributed at least one month in advance of the meeting. The SECRETARY. Mr. Chairman, in my humble capacity as an individual I should like to say that I agree thoroughly with the views that have been expressed by Admiral Knapp, and those expressed more briefly by Professor Hudson. I do not think, however, it would be necessary to adopt a formal resolution. Calling it to the attention of the authorities, I think, would be sufficient. I can say, speaking for myself, if I am to remain connected with the officers of the Society, that every possible step will be taken to secure a meeting,—one or more meetings of the committees, either as a whole or as separate subcommittees, in the hope that definite, positive results may be had in ample time before the meeting so that sufficient notice shall be distributed to the members. It is a little difficult to say whether the reports themselves should be printed, but at least a summary of the conclusions should be laid before the members so that when they meet they might be prepared to enter upon the discussions at the opening session and not be obliged to compress their deliberations into the briefest space upon the morning of the closing session. I should think that would be highly desirable. I do not know just what steps should be taken, but I think they should be taken, and we will try to take them. Admiral KNAPP. If I may add, sir, that it was my intention that the procedure should be left to the wisdom of the officers of the Society. It is merely the fact that I wish to bring to mind that this great Society,—and it is a great Society,-is meeting here and giving snap judgment as far as discus sion goes. I do not mean that everything that is said is snap judgment, but we are apt to get up and talk about things on the spur of the moment, and possibly say things that in time we may come to regret. And I do feel that a deliberative body as this is should have time for what it is deliberating upon and to present digested views instead of "off the bat" views, so to speak, if I may be permitted to use a bit of slang. Dr. JUDSON. May I just say a word on this subject, and I speak somewhat advisedly as the chairman of one of these subcommittes. The desirable thing in my opinion would be for the committees to get together sometime before the holidays and take all the time needed to get their report in shape. Then that report should be sent in to the office; it might then be printed, and every member receive a copy in order that he might have it before him in ample time for consideration; and all would come here ready to debate and to take action. It is not easy to do that, Mr. President. I began work with my committee early in the winter and sent to every member of my committee for suggestions. I received from every member of my committee suggestions with one exception. These were typewritten in Chicago and sent to every member of the committee in turn, for their comments, and their comments came back. We met on Thursday morning, the day before the opening here, and discussed our reports, and got a preliminary draft. The members of the committees are very busy gentlemen, and it is not easy to bring them together to meet at some time before the annual meeting of the Society. I think the thing suggested by the Admiral can be carried out, and I hope it will be. Professor BROWN. I would like to call attention to the fact that there is a very hopeful movement that has begun for the advancement of the knowledge of international law in the Institute of Politics at Williamstown, that had its first session last summer, will meet this summer, and we hope will continue to meet indefinitely. A number of lawyers, publicists, and specialists in international law were there last summer. It seems to me a very desirable thing if we could make it a field-meet every year for as many as possible who can get together, because of the fact that international law is now in the most interesting state of development, of flux and evolution, where we all perhaps can make a humble contribution. In the work of these committees I would respectfully suggest that it might be feasible to gather together during the month of August at Williamstown, when this Institute is in session, when the interesting round-table discussions on international law are being conducted by members of this Society, in order to reach more concrete conclusions, to be submitted to the members of the Society. I offer this as a suggestion for the consideration of the officers of the Society. The CHAIRMAN. Gentlemen, is there any other matter to be brought before the Society this morning? If not, a motion to adjourn is in order. Mr. KINGSBURY. I move we adjourn. The motion was duly seconded, put and unanimously carried. |