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Forbidden Treaties in International Law: Comments on Professor Garner’s Report on “The Law of Treaties”

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 September 2021

Alfred von Verdross
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Extract

James Wilford Garner has given us a profound, detailed and highly valuable Report on The Law of Treaties. This report contains, it is true, a rule concerning the validity of a treaty which is in conflict with an earlier treaty. On the other hand, there is no consideration, as far as this writer can see, of treaties which are in conflict with general international law, a problem which has been discussed many times.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Journal of International Law , Volume 31 , Issue 4 , October 1937 , pp. 571 - 577
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of International Law 1937 

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References

1 Harvard Research in International Law, this JOURNAL, Vol. 29 (1935), Supp., pp. 655–1226. [The credit which the author attributes to Professor Garner for this report must be shared by the assistant reporter, Dr. Valentine Jobst, and, of course, by the Advisory Committee who collaborated in its preparation.—J. W. G.]

2 Op. cit., Art. 22, pp. 661 and 1009 et seq.

3 Cf., e.g., Bluntschli, op. cit., p. 1209, par. 410; Fiore, op. cit., p. 1214, par. 760; cf. further:Heffter, Das europçische Völkerrecht, 4th ed. (1861), p. 156; Strisower, Der Krieg und die Völkerrechtsordnung (1919), p. 114; Kunz, Die Revision der Parker Friedensvertrçge (1932),p. 241 et seq.; Fasching, “Die allgemeinen Rechtsgrundsçtze uber die Elemente des volkerrechtlichen Vertrages” in Zeitschrift für öffentliches Recht, XIV (1934), p. 59 et seq.; Verdross,“Heilige und unsitüiche Staatsvertröge,” Völkerbund und Völkerrecht, II (1935–36), p. 164;Verdross, “Anfechtbare und nichtige Staatsvertrçge” in Zeitschrift fur öffenliches Recht, XV (1935), p. 289 et seq., and “Der Grundsatz ‘pacta sunt servanda’ und die Grenze der guten Sitten im Völkerrecht”, loc. cit., XVI (1936), p. 79 et seq

4 Cf. Jurt,Zwingendes Völkerredd (1933).

5 In this sense Ottolenghi,“Sulla personalitö internazionale delle unions di Stati” in Rivista di Diritto Internazionale, XVII (1925), p. 335 et seq.

6 Cf. Verdross, “Les principes gen4raux du droit dans la jurisprudence intemationale” in Recueil des Cours de l’ Academie de Drat International d La Haye, 52 (1935), II, pp; 195–249, and the literature there quoted.

7 Diritto Internationale Pubblico (1937), p. 143.

8 Heydte, Von der, “Glossen zu einer Theorie der allgemeinen Rechtsgrundstitze in Die Friedenswarte, XXXIII (1933), p. 289 et seq.; Verdross, , Vöalkerrecht (1937), p. 78Google Scholar.

9 Cf. Dernburg, , Pandekten, II, 5th ed. (1897), p. 48 Google Scholar; Thur, A. V., Allgemeiner Tea des deutschen bfirgerlichen Rechts, II, 2d pt. (1918), p. 36 Google Scholar; the same, Allgemeiner Teil des Schweizerischen Obligationenrechts, I (1924), p. 226; Oertmann, Bilrgerliches Gesetzbuch, Allg. Teil, 3d ed. (1927), p. 483; Williston, , A Selection of Cases on the Law of Contracts (1930)Google Scholar; Gschnitzer, , Contra bonds mores—Gegen die guten Sitten, Serta Mauriviciana, I (1934), p. 177 Google Scholar; Restatement of the Law of Contracts, adopted by the American Law Institute, May 6, 1932, Pamphlet No. 4, par. 512 et seq.

10 Cf. Verdross, , “Les *let internationales concernant le traitement des strangers” in Recueil des Cours de l’Academie de Droit International, XXVII (1931), III, pp. 337–406, and the literature there quotedGoogle Scholar.

11 Cf., e.g., the declaration of Mr. Koumanoudi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yugoslavia, at the League of Nations. Journal Officiel, Supp. Special No. 28, Acte de kg Pm, Assemblee, Seances *nitres, Compte-rendu des debate (1924), p. 217: “La defense du territoire national et de l’independance politique constitue le devoir primordial et same de cheque Pays. Le peuple qui attaque ne se defend pas n’est pas un peuple.” The same thought can be found in the Allgemeine Schweizer Militarzeitung, Vol. 77 (1931), p. 195 et mg: “Il n’est pas logique d’interdire a touts une coliectivite ce qui est moor& a des individus… Ce n’est pas faire preuve de militarisme que de preparer la defense de la patrie, c’est un droit nacre et un devoir.” Cf. further the Rapport General presents a la Ti” Assembles au nom des Pre et III”’ Commissions par M. Politis, Societe des Nations, IX (1924), A 185, p. 6: “L’Etat attaque… doit commencer par se defendre par see propres moyens…”

12 Cf. The Austrian memorandum of March 2, 1938, transmitted to the Powers, on the reestablishment of compulsory military service. This memorandum considers the unilateral disarmament imposed by the Peace Treaties “a compuleory measure in contradiction to the natural law of nations, and having its origins in the unfortunate war-psychosis.” Cf. Valkerbund and Valkerrecht, III (1936), p. 295.

13 Cf.Hold-Ferneck, Lehrbuth des Valkerrechts, II (1932), p. 261.

14 Bases de discussion de la Societe des Nations pour la Codification du droit international, Vol. III, p. 37.

15 u Series A/B, No. 41.

16 Series A/B, No. 83: “Jamais …la Cour n’appliquerait une convention dont le contenu serait contraire aux bones moeurs.”

17 In this sense Judge van Eysinga and Judge Schileking in their dissenting opinions in the Chinn Case, Series A/B, No. 63.