Nut for the Judges

Britain tossed the new International Court of Justice its first juicy nut last week. It was a tropical product of the days when English pirates set up their bases on the Mosquito Coast and raided the Spanish Main. British Honduras grew out of some of the old bases. But Spain's old captain generalcy of Guatemala owned the land and modern Guatemala claimed sovereignty over the British colony.

Once--in 1859--the two countries tried to settle the dispute. Guatemala offered to recognize Britain's ownership provided Britain built a road between Guatemala City and the east coast. The British agreed, then reneged. That, argued Guatemala, outlawed the whole deal.

To Britain's offer to let the International Court decide, Guatemala agreed "in principle." In Washington a Guatemalan explained what that meant: Guatemala was waiting to see whether it would have "at least a few friends on the court."

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