Abstract
A PRELIMINARY outline of the proposals of the New Commonwealth Society for the creation of an equity tribunal for the settlement of non-justifiable disputes between nations is contained in a pamphlet, “An International Equity Tribunal”, which has just been issued by the Society. It is urged that three institutions are required: (1) a body endowed with the legislative function and with the power to effect peaceful changes in the public law; (2) a court to interpret that law; and (3) a police force to uphold the decisions of the Court and to maintain law and order. The League of Nations is considered the foundation upon which the structure of an enduring peace is to be built, and these institutions should form part of its permanent machinery. By an equity tribunal is meant an impartial or neutral body which is called upon to investigate a political or industrial dispute, and the findings or awards of which are based upon natural justice. Consequently an international equity tribunal would be capable of effecting peaceful change in the public law, including the revision of treaties, and would be empowered to arbitrate upon all political disputes which cannot be settled by negotiation and conciliation. The members of the equity tribunal would require to sever their connexion with the Governments and politics of their respective countries and devote their time exclusively to the service of the tribunal and of the League. An embryonic example of the working of an equity tribunal may be seen in the Lytton Commission, and a further stage towards the development of the tribunal system would be the creation of permanent committees by the Council or the Assembly in place of such ad hoc bodies.
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Promotion of International Equity. Nature 139, 361 (1937). https://doi.org/10.1038/139361a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/139361a0