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.AN INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL. The general disappointment at the failure of the representatives of the powers at the Hague to finally agree upon a form of permanent inter national court has drawn especial attention to the recent agreement of the representatives of the Central American States at Washington for the establishment within their lesser spheres of activities of a court of the sort which the larger conference failed to establish. The exact result of the work of the Hague Congress in this respect is not yet clearly understood. Technically at least something appears to have been accomplished, though dependent upon future agreements of which there seems at present little prospect. The work of our delegates, however, will serve at least as a basis for future discussion and the plan which they outlined may become a focus of public opinion which will ultimately force govern ments to reconcile their conflicting interests. Indeed, it was hardly fair to expect more prog ress in so short a time. The difficulty the Editor has experienced in his efforts to obtain from some of the representatives of the United States at the Hague an authoritative account of the results accomplished with reference to such a court lends color to the belief that further efforts are in contemplation which they think it desirable not to embarrass by a premature an nouncement. A comparison of the results at the Hague with the work of the Washington con ference is, of course, unprofitable for the prob lem presented in the latter gathering was altogether different. The states concerned were of approximately the same size and power and were already drawn together by a com munity of race, language, and industry, which should lay the foundation for a complete political federation. International jealousy, however, of a highly inflammable kind is to be subjected to the test of judicial fairness in this small experiment and it is not impossible that
the example of success which it is hoped this court will afford may exert a moral influence in support of those who advocate the larger project. INJUNCTIONS. Mr. Justice Phillimore of the English High Court of Justice has recently expressed an opinion that the exercise of the power of committal for contempt had been carried too far. In this he follows the late Lord Russell of Killowen who once announced his inten tion of introducing legislation defining and limiting this important function. In this coun try criticism has taken the form of " antiinjunction " bills, one of which is pending in Congress and is to be vigorously urged during the coming session by the American Federa tion of Labor. The President in his message also commends the subject to the attention of Congress. It is unfortunate that the subject has become so soon a political issue between organized capital and organized labor, for conservatism and prejudice are likely to confuse the real issues. Though no one familiar with our system of jurisprudence should approve for an instant the abroga tion of the preventive jurisdiction of our equity courts or of the power of summary punishment that alone makes it effective, it is a fact we cannot ignore, that through the growth of the extraordinary power of our courts over our economic development, the injunction is most conspicuous in trade disputes. It has become the visible emblem of the power of judges to limit the efforts toward economic advancement of those who believe themselves a majority. If this socio logical duty could be transferred from our courts to our legislatures without depriving the former of functions necessary to the admin istration of justice in the domain of pure law might it not forestall an attack on the integrity of our courts, which many fear as a result of
