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. ANNUAL BANQUET THE WASHINGTON HOTEL, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 29, 1922 TOASTMASTER DR. HARRY PRATT JUDSON President of the University of Chicago GUESTS OF HONOR CHIEF JUSTICE WILLIAM H. TAFT HONORABLE JAMES JOHN DAVIS HONORABLE HENRY W. TEMPLE Dean G. Acheson Rev. James E. Freeman Arthur Geissler C. Froelich Hanssey MEMBERS AND GUESTS Edward A. Harriman Harry B. Hawes David Jayne Hill Miss M. Pearl McCall L. W. McKernan William A. McLaren A. B. Messer Mirza Hussein Khan Alai Denys P. Myers Soterios Nicholson Admiral James H. Oliver James Brown Scott Mrs. James Brown Scott James M. Sheridan Mrs. James M. Sheridan Baron Edmund von Thermann Honorable Alexander Vouros George G. Wilson Henry F. Woodard J. Edwin Young Dr. JAMES BROWN SCOTT. Ladies and gentlemen: I am requested, on behalf of the President of the American Society of International Law, Honorable Elihu Root, to express for him his regrets that he is unable to be with us tonight. I think I may also express on behalf of all of us who are present our keen regret that we are to be deprived this evening of the pleasure of having him with us tonight. In Mr. Root's absence, Dr. Harry Pratt Judson, President of the University of Chicago, has kindly consented to act as Toastmaster on this occasion, and I take pleasure in presenting Dr. Judson to you at this time. The TOASTMASTER (Dr. Harry Pratt Judson). Dr. Scott, ladies and gentlemen: I sincerely share with you great regret that our President is not here, and not only do I share with you that regret, but I feel that I have a larger proportion of it than you can possibly have. I wish he were here from the bottom of my heart, for many reasons that I need not enumerate. I have, before introducing the speakers, a word I would like to say on a. matter connected with our Society. I have in my mind a little document given me by Dr. Scott. I want to make a plea for teaching our students in our colleges and higher schools of learning some of the fundamentals of international law. This subject is something that should be understood in its elements at least by every educated man. We know that Blackstone's Commentaries were written, by no means, as I understand it, to develop lawyers, but simply to enable young English gentlemen to know the laws of their country. And it seems to me that intelligent young Americans ought to know the laws of nations in order to understand the relations which are coming to be so vital,-the relations of one nation to another in this world. We have learned that no nation can live by itself alone; that the isolation of nations is gone. It once would do for China or Japan. It has gone even there, and it is much the same in every other part of the world. We are |