East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-12-05
THE INTERNATIONAL MORALITY" BOMB.
EXPLODED BY ROOSEVELT

That portion of President Roose-
velt's message referring to "Interna-
tional Morality" which aroused such
storm of indignation among Pacific
coast members of congress yesterday,
contains bitter arraignment of Cali
fornia for her treatment of the Jap
anese in her public schools.
1t Is the longest subhead in the
message and in 1t the president enters
into detail with questions of interna-
tional conduct. 1t is as follows:
1t is a mistake, and 1t betrays a
spirit of foolish cynicism, to main
tain that all International govern
mental action is and must ever be,
based upon mere selfishness, and that
to advance ethical reasons for such
action is always a sign of hypocrisy.
This Is no more necessarily true OF
the action of governments than of
the action of individuals. 1t is a sure
sige of base nature always to ascribe
base motives for the actions of others.
Unquestionably no nation can af-
ford to disregard proper considera-
a private individual can so do. But
II is equally true that the average pri-
vate individual in any really decent
community does many actions with
reference to other men in which he
is guided, not by self-interest, but by
public spirit, by regard for the rights
of others. by disinterested purpose
TO do good to others, and to raise the
tone of the community as a whole.
Similarly, really great nation
must often act, and as a matter Of
fact often does act. toward other ma
tions in a spirit not in the least of
mere self-interest, but paying heed
chiefly to ethical reasons; and as the
centuries go by this disinterestedness
in international action, this tendency
of the individuals comprising ma
tion to require that nation to act with
justice toward its neighbors, steadily
grows and strengthens. 1t is neither
wise nor right for nation to dlsre-
gard its own needs, and IT is foolish
and may be wicked-to think that
other nations will disregard theirs.
But it is wicked for nation only
to believe that such is the sole motive
that actuates any other nation. II
should be our steady aim to raise the
ethical standard of national action
Just as we strive to raise the ethical
standard of individual action.
Must Give Fair Treatment.
Not only must we treat all nations
90 Hr1t h,,, ttrith In
and good will all immigrants who
come here under the law. Whether
they are Catholic or Protestant, Jew
or Gentle; whether they come from
England or Germany, Russia, Japan
or Italy, matters nothing. All we
have right to question is the mans
conduct. II he is honest and up
right in his dealings with his neighbor
and with the state, then he Is entitled
to respect and good treatment.
Especially do we need to remember
our duty to the stranger within our
gates. 1t is the sure mark Of low
civilization, low morality, to abuse
or discriminate against or in any way
humiliate such stranger who has
come here lawfully and who is con-
ductng himself properly. To remem-
ber this Is incumbent on every Amer
lean citizen, and II Is of course pc
culiarly incumbent on every govern
ment official, whether of the nation
or of the several states.
Hostility to Japan.
| am prompted to say this by the
attitude of hostility here and there
assumed toward the japanese in this
country. This hostility is sporadic
and is limited to a very few places.
Nevertheless ii IS most dlscreditable
to us as a people. and it may be