CH. XVIII. judge of its own quarrels, and the executioner of its own The appli- decrees. cation of Interna tional law. II. The question of 'Lex' does indeed arise, but in a way The Lex. that presents but a slight analogy to anything in either department of Municipal law. It is merely whether a given set of circumstances comes, or does not come, within the operation of international law at all. In other words, whether the States between which a controversy has arisen are, or are not, members of the family of Nations 1.' If not, the principles to be applied to the facts are derivable not from international law, but from views of national interest tempered by general morality. Much confused reasoning has resulted from forgetfulness of the limited area within which it is possible or desirable to apply the rules of International law, as such. Interpretation. III. What has been said upon the subject of Interpretation' with reference to municipal law, applies mutatis mutandis to International law also. The axioms of the science and the doctrines of received text-writers will be susceptible in general only of 'logical interpretation,' but something analogous to 'authentic interpretation' would be quite possible in the case of such quasi-legislative expressions of international opinion, as, for instance, the Geneva Convention, or the Declaration of Paris. |