BY GEORGE GRAFTON WILSON, PH.D., LL.D. PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, HARVARD UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL LAW EIGHTH EDITION Earlier editions by George Grafton Wilson, Ph.D., LL.D. SILVER, BURDETT AND COMPANY NEW YORK NEWARK BOSTON CHICAGO PREFACE TO THE EIGHTH EDITION In the preface to the sixth edition, 1915, was the statement "It may not be too much to say that the development of international law within the period since the call for the first Peace Conference at The Hague in 1898 has been greater than during the two hundred and fifty years preceding, from the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 to the call for the Hague Conference in 1898." Since 1914 the principles thought to be generally accepted have been tested by war of unparalleled magnitude and by the resulting unsettled international relations. During the period of the war the assertion "International Law is dead" was frequently heard, but the issue of the war showed the fallacy of acting upon such a belief. Many of the differences between states still remained to be settled, but the evidence is convincing that they must ultimately be settled in accordance with law and justice. This edition shows that, to a degree unexpected during the strain of war, late decisions, precedents and practice have followed principles long accepted. Certain conventions and other documents have been inserted in appendices in the conviction that it is more serviceable to read the documents than to read lengthy opinions upon what the documents may mean and also in order that the whole text may be available for reference. The Covenant of the League iv PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION of Nations, 1919, the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice, 1920, and the Treaty on Submarines and Noxious Gases, 1922, will also be found in the appendices. Dr. Tucker has offered valuable suggestions in the preparation of this edition, but no longer continues as joint author. JULY, 1922. G. G. W. PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION THE authors have freely used the substantive material as found in cases, codes, etc., which involve the principles of international law. Owing to the increasing importance of international negotiation, relatively more attention than usual has been given to matters connected with diplomacy. The appendices contain material which the authors have found advantageous to have easily accessible to each student. The study of this book should in all cases be supplemented by reference to a considerable number of the books mentioned in the bibliography. G. G. W. G. F. T. SEPTEMBER, 1901. |