1923 Calvin Coolidge - The American Principle

After World War I, the Treaty of Versailles gave the League of Nations the authority to investigate setting up an international court, and on December 13,1920, the Permanent Court of International Justice was formed. In a moment of bi-partisanship, and to sway European opinion, Calvin Coolidge embraced the establishment of such a court, but never over American sovereignty. Calvin Coolidge eventually even turned away from the World court. America would not join an international court until a new world court was formed after World War II as part of the United Nations.

Calvin Coolidge, very clearly explained that America would not kowtow to a world government. Rather America would manage it's own destiny. Regarding the League of Nations and a world court, Calvin expressed these words to Congress:

"Our country has one cardinal principle to maintain in its foreign policy. It is an American principle. It must be an American policy. We attend to our own affairs, conserve our own strength, and protect the interests of our own citizens; ... Our country has definitely refused to adopt and ratify the covenant of the League of Nations ... the United States sees no reason to limit its own freedom and independence of action by joining it... I favor the establishment of such a court intended to include the whole world. That is, and has long been, an American policy....The court is merely a convenient instrument of adjustment to which we could go, but to which we could not be brought. It should be discussed with entire candor, not by a political but by a judicial method, without pressure and without prejudice."

Coolidge became president upon Harding's death. Both Harding and Coolidge saw their election as a repudiation of Woodrow Wilson's ambitious internationalism. The building shown is the Peace Palace in The Hague of Netherlands, no doubt a place Wilson would have revered, but not so much his predecessors.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29564
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_Court_of_International_Justice