During the year 1956, the International Court of Justice gave two Advisory Opinions to assist in the work of the United Nations. On June 1, 1956, it met a request from the General Assembly for an opinion on the Admissibility of Hearings of Petitioners by the Committee on South West Africa. On October 23, 1956, it responded to a request from the Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization of the United Nations by giving an opinion on the Judgments of the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organisation upon Complaints Made Against the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It also gave a series of orders, some of which denied the jurisdiction of the Court.

The organized pressures for return of vested enemy assets are accumulating. Acting in rhythm with “that cyclical movement of policy toward an enemy which history has made familiar, German interests directing their primary efforts toward the United States have received a sympathetic hearing from the Administration, and the Senate Committee on the Judiciary has approved proposed legislation which, if adopted, would reopen and nullify commitments to our Allies following World War II.

Concomitant with the stationing of United States armed forces in friendly foreign countries is an increasing concern over, and appreciation of, the legal issues arising from their presence. The most controversial question concerns exercise by the host state of criminal jurisdiction over personnel of the visiting United States force. The House Foreign Affairs Committee after extensive hearings refused to accede to critics’ demands that this exercise of criminal jurisdiction by foreign countries be officially denounced, and by a vote of 19–10 tabled the condemnatory resolutions.1 Congressional concern remains strong, however, and the issue is not dormant.