Il8 FINAL ACT OF SECOND PAN AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC CONGRESS. 



VI. International law is at one and the same time both national and inter- 

 national; national in the sense that it is the law of the land and 

 applicable as such to the decision of all questions involving its 

 principles; international in the sense that it is the law of the 

 society of nations and applicable as such to all questions between 

 and among the members of the society of nations involving its 

 principles. 



The relation of international to national law is to be understood (i) in 

 the sense in which the relationship is stated by Mr. Justice GRAY in the 

 case of The Paquete Habana, quoted on page 103, under Article 25 of 

 this report; and (2) in the sense of the official commentary, according to 

 which international law is to be regarded as a part of the law of the 

 American countries and is to be applied as national law by their courts, 

 and to be also applied by the respective Republics in their relations one 

 with another. 



The spirit which should animate the American Republics is, according 

 to the official commentary, the following statement by DANIEL WEB- 

 STER, written as Secretary of State : 



Every nation, on being received, at her own request, into the circle of 

 civilized governments must understand that she not only attains rights 

 of sovereignty and the dignity of national character, but that she binds her- 

 self to the strict and faithful observance of all those principles, laws, and 

 usages which have obtained currency among civilized states, and which 

 have for their object the mitigation of the miseries of war. 



Before adjournment on the 8th day of January, 1916, the Institute was 

 invited to hold its next session in Havana as the guest of the Cuban 

 Government, an invitation calculated to encourage its members to be 

 worthy of the invitation which was so graciously and so unexpectedly 

 tendered it. 



ARTICLE 34. The Second Pan American Scientific Congress recommends 

 to all educational establishments of America the special study of 

 the constitutions, laws, and institutions of the Republics of this 

 continent. 



It is difficult to comment upon the simple recommendation of the Con- 

 gress that the constitutions, laws, and institutions of the Republics of 

 this continent be made the subject of special study in all educational 

 establishments of America. The importance of it is evident and, in the 

 happy expression of a distinguished English judge, it can only be ob- 

 scured by argument. And yet the advantages that would accrue from a 

 knowledge of the constitutions, laws, and institutions of the Republics of 

 this continent are so manifold that it would seem to be a sign of indiffer- 

 ence if they were not dwelt upon. 



