International Law— Concentrated

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 49, 19 June 1931, Page 11

International Law— Concentrated

S there any way of making an extract , of good solid plum pudding without impairing its flavour and quality? The task must be a_ difficult one. Prof. Julius Hogben, LL.B., of the Auckland University, must have realised something of the problem when he spoke on Tuesday night. For if ever a prospective talk savoured of heaviness it was this on International Law. I think, perhaps, the speaker did wisely in not attempting to leaven his lecture. To speak logically, widely and convincingly, in the short space of time at his disposal, on a subject which is usually treated in massive tomes, betokens a brave and capable man. It would appear that International Law serves to prove yet again the accuracy of the statement "There’s nothing new under’ the sun." First, just what is it? The speaker defined it as that body or group of rules and usages which are binding upon civilised States in their relation to one another. As the law is man-made it follows that the average citizen realises its good sense and justice; as a consequence no State dare really ignore it. Because the law has been broken frequently (the most remarkable and universal breakage being the Great War) is no proof of its

non-existence. Because Chicago enjoys the unenviable distinction of being the most murderous "civilised" city on earth, it does not follow that there is no law against murder there. While International Law cannot be classified as the panacea of all international ills, nor can its interest lie solely in averting wars, still it is without doubt one of our greatest institutions for building up a sane state of law and order. Like most laws, it is very ancient, and its history may be traced quite easily to Old Testament B.C. days. War, indeed, was then frequently the instrument employed in preserving and restraining the sanctity of the law. Deuteronomy is full of such examples. The speaker divided the Law’s life history, as it were, into four distinct periods. Stone Age to Early Roman Empire; Early Roman Empire to the Reformation, during which second period its props of justice were allowed to sag a bit, according to the interests and personal desires of individual rulers; Reformations to the Great War; the Great Warto . . . ? Treaties, Pacts, Pacific understandings, all have a part in the foundation of modern International Law. Since, speaking fundamentally, it rests on the public opinion of States and therefore, in theory anyway, on the opinions of people themselves in those States, we can all assist in making International Law a sound institution by which to build a saner state of law and order throughout the world. This was a good solid talk, providing a plenitude of food for thought, and I am hopeful that it was heard by many.