At its session that ended in December 1980, the United Nations considered a subject that had been allowed to lie dormant for over a quarter of a century. It was first taken up in 1946, after President Truman called for the reaffirmation of “the principles of the Niirnberg Charter in the context of a general codification of offenses against the peace and security of mankind.” The General Assembly responded promptly by passing three resolutions in rapid succession on December 11, 1946, which created a Committee for the Progressive Development of International Law and its Codification, affirmed the Nuremberg principles, and declared that genocide was an international crime. The International Law Commission (ILC) was charged with preparing the desired Code of Offences after its establishment in 1947. Yet, 34 years after the General Assembly’s call for action, the refrain was still being heard: “The time is not yet ripe.” The question likely to face the United Nations when it reconvenes in 1981 will be: “If not now, when?”

The close of its twenty-third year finds the Permanent Court of International Justice still in existence, and still in a position to resume its activity if and when the world situation may permit. Its premises in the Peace Palace at The Hague are intact; its President and Registrar carry on their duties from Geneva; and the twelve judges who continue in office are available for the discharge of their functions. The budget of the Court for 1944 was duly alimented and a budget has been adopted for 1945.

The problem of the withdrawal of the mandates system from a territory subject to a League of Nations mandate under Article 22 of the Covenant has aroused considerable academic controversy for a decade. Not until quite recently, however, did the problem receive a comprehensive investigation and solution by official organs of the League of Nations. The present article has the purpose of setting forth the pertinent facts of this investigation, and the general principles adopted as a result thereof, governing termination of mandates.

There are times when, as I look at the regulations of the countries of the world affecting immigrants, I see in my mind’s eye the building up of walled-in countries, much like the wall-encircled towns of the medieval period. I see the doors that lead to them closing more and more against the stranger. The development of international interests in our economic world seems to have sagged. In a sense, we are reverting to that stage in our history when our concern centered solely around each of ourselves, nor took into account the needs of others.

The first thing to learn about any incident or accident involving airplanes is “wait.” The initial reports never have it quite right. This was true about KAL Flight 007, about Pan Am Flight 103, about the bombing of Tripoli and Bengazi, and about Iran Air Flight 655.