and, therefore, it is necessary to present a definition which can be interpreted to the best interest of your own country, and I should desire to see a definition put upon that word which would agree with the best interests of our own country. The CHAIRMAN. meeting will follow. on Codification. BUSINESS OF THE SOCIETY. If there is no further discussion, the business Mr. JAMES BROWN SCOTT. In view of the lateness of the hour, I will simply make a preliminary report, without going into the details. The Committee on Codification directs me to state that, in its opinion, some of the most important and preliminary labors should be a careful ascertainment of the classification and systematic exposition of international law. For this purpose, the committee proposes to correspond with teachers of international law in all parts of the world, and to correspond likewise with publicists, in order to be able to adopt a classification in the fulness of knowledge. And, in the second place, the committee believes that, after having obtained these classifications and analyzing them, and having agreed upon one which appears satisfactory, its next labor should be to endeavor to define certain fundamental conceptions without which it is impossible to proceed to a codification of international law. I am directed to inform you that the committee expects, at the next meeting, to report fully upon the question of classification, and on the definitions or conceptions, which doubtless will be placed before you at the next meeting of the Society, in 1914. The CHAIRMAN. If there is no objection, this report of the committee will be accepted, with the understanding that they will report, as stated, at the next meeting. The first item on the program of the business meeting is the report of the Committee on Nominations. Professor Woolsey, I think, is chairman of that committee. Professor THEODORE S. WOOLSEY. The committee begs to recommend the following names as officers for the ensuing year. Members of the Executive Council to serve until 1916. Frederic R. Coudert, Esq., New York. Prof. William R. Manning, Texas. Prof. John H. Latané, Virginia. The CHAIRMAN. What is your will in regard to the nominations made by the Committee? [Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Secretary was instructed to cast one ballot for the nominees. The Secretary reported that the ballot had been cast, and the gentlemen mentioned were accordingly declared elected to the respective offices.] Professor GEORGE G. WILSON. On behalf of the Committee on the Selection of Honorary Members I may say, that in view of the principle enunciated two years ago and reaffirmed last year before the Society, and which is stated in the Proceedings for 1912, page 191, the committee searched for a candidate who would be strictly a candidate of the character of those who are already upon the list of honorary members of this Society, but there is no one who meets with this requirement according to the opinion of the committee, at the present time. Therefore, the committee makes no nomination for honorary member this year, and recommends that action upon honorary members be passed. I will ask the Secretary if he will read the list. We have lost one of our honorary members during the year, Professor Westlake. [Secretary SCOTT thereupon read a list of the honorary members.] The CHAIRMAN. It would seem fit, if there is no objection, that the election of honorary members be passed at this meeting. Of course, it is entirely competent for the Society to make a nomination if it sees fit. It seems proper that some recognition of the services of Professor Westlake should be made. Is there anyone prepared to report upon that? Professor WOOLSEY. This is a very brief notice, and an inadequate one. I think, however, that it is customary to present only the briefest possible notice on such an occasion. There are two English publicists, men of high distinction in the field of international law, both professors of the science, both writing freely, very often divergently, upon mooted questions, both honorary members of this Society,-Holland and Westlake. We are called upon to mourn the loss-to England, to our Society, and to our science of the last mentioned of the two at the ripe age of eighty-four. Professor John Westlake as a writer upon the history and philosophy of the law of nations had no superior in his time. Without largely representing his Government in public he widely influenced public opinion. Careful and temperate in statement, scholarly in method. philosophical in thought, he embodied the highest ethical and legal standards of our profession. He was calm and logical and orderly. He was learned. He was just. The influence of such a man upon the development of the law can hardly be over-estimated. The CHAIRMAN. It would be in order that we adopt this as a minute of the Society, and that it be spread upon our records. [The motion was made, seconded, and agreed to.] The CHAIRMAN. Is there any other business, Mr. Secretary? Secretary SCOTT. None, except an announcement or two. The CHAIRMAN. If there is no other business, I will announce that a meeting of the Executive Council will take place in this room at half past seven this evening. Secretary SCOTT. Mr. Chairman, I desire also to call the attention of the members to the fact that unless all who wish to attend the banquet procure tickets at this time the regular order will be much embarrassed, because the seating arrangements must be made this afternoon, and the committee cannot wait indefinitely. I would therefore urge you, upon leaving the hall, to secure your tickets for the banquet, which will take place at half past seven this evening. [A motion to adjourn was made, seconded, and agreed to.] The CHAIRMAN. The meeting is now adjourned. [Whereupon at 12:45 o'clock p.m., the meeting adjourned.] MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Saturday, April 26, 1913, at 7:30 o'clock p.m. The Executive Council met at the New Willard Hotel at 7:30 p.m., on Saturday, April 26, 1913. Present: Mr. Charles Henry Butler, Mr. Frank C. Partridge, Mr. Jackson H. Ralston, Prof. Theodore S. Woolsey. In the absence of the Chairman, Mr. Charles Henry Butler presided. Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, the reading of the minutes of the last meeting of the Council, printed in the Proceedings for 1912, pp. 194-196, was dispensed with, and the minutes approved as printed. The Chairman, Hon. John W. Foster, was reëlected. The election of the Recording Secretary, the Corresponding Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Assistant to the Secretaries was the next order of business, and the following gentlemen were reëlected: Recording Secretary-James Brown Scott. Assistant to the Secretaries-George A. Finch. The following gentlemen were then reëlected to serve on the Executive Committee: |