The Alaska daily empire., 1914-09-30
n'SFOreignPOIiC By Chas. W. Elliot. Prcsidcut Emoritis of
 Harvard University

by Republican and Progressive orators 1 of the omissions, shortcomings and
 failures of the Democratic party since
 it came into power in March, 1913.
 Inevitably the party has provided the orators with ample material for criti-
 cism and reproach The task which
 the party and the President had set themselves was overwhelming at the | best within the party there was wide differences of opinion about persons and policies; Democrats of large eX. perience in public business were but few; and very grave troubles in and with Mexico early claimed the earnest the comparative exclusion of some do. nestle problems of serious import to the business interests of the country such as civil service both at home and in the insular possessions, the crip- pied railroads, and the industrial war fare. Nevertheless, the achievements of the present administration are ex- traordlnary in amount and remarkably significant and far-reaChing. The prin- cipal achievements are contributions
 to sound international policies and conduct
 Under the guidance of President
 Woodrow Wilson the United States has been thoroughly committed to nOn-
 intervention by force of arms. when adventurous American investors in the ! territory of a foreign state are threat ened with loss of life, liberty or prop erty on the foreign soil, or have ac.
 tually suffered such losses. American 1 iny2rtors had gone into Mexico of l their own accord and at their own
 risk, because they thought they could
 make more money by applying their
 inventive or constructive power and
 their capital and energy there than ] they could at home. The disordered
 condition of the country threatened losses to these enterprising Ameri-
 cans; and the armed intervention of
 the United States might have pre-
 vented these losses. or at least have
 avenged them. Influential persons, l corporations, newspapers and public
 officers urged vehemently that Ameri.
 can troops should at once seize north. l ern Mexico. President Wilson's ad. ministratiOn declined to interyene; ! brought the exposed Americans out of
 Mexico in safety; helped the citizens
 of other countries to leave Mexico, if
 they desired to go left the care of the
 aliens property to Mexicans; and in.
 duced European governments to fol.
 low the policy of tho American. In
 this patient, but persistent process the
 President of the United States delib.
 crately abandoned the policy pursued
 for centuries by Rome and England
 in their dealings with weaker foreign ! countries. The Roman citizen must
 be safe anywhere in the Mediterranean
 world. Great Britain has pursued the
 seizure, indemnity, and punitive ex. petition" policy down to the present
 day No European nation has ever
 announced or acted on the policy of
 nonintervention on behalf of it's in. Jured or endangered commercial or
 missionary adventurers. The Ameri.
 can Republic has the honor of making
 first this great contribution to inter-
 national peace and the progress of civilization.
 It it not the first time. however
 that the American government has shown its dislike of the prevailing in. demnity policy The United States
 took part in the international military
 expedition to Pekin during the Boxer
 instruction, and joined the Allies in
 demanding heavy indemnities from China; but when the American indem. nlty turned out to be excessive, the excess was returned to China. Again. when riots and disorders of varIous kinds occurred in many parts of China after the outbreak of the revolution Of 1912 in that country, President Taft ordered the American minister at Pc. kin to call into Pekin all the Ameri. can missionaries and teachers whose lives were endangered, in order that no claims on the Chinese government might be established. The missionar. les and teachers came in with great reluctance; but they cordially support ed the view of the American admins. tration that occasions for indemnities ought to be avoided, since the pay. ment of indemnities was always irri. | tating and often unjust. These in- cidents were remote and the threat | ened injuries were comparativeIv small. The Wilson administration has ton to a disorderly next-door.neigh. bor on whose territory large American applied the doctrine of non.interven. interests were imperiled.
 The present National administration has also accepted the mediation of three American republics in a peace ful effort to reestablish good relations between itself and Mexico, and to compose the factional fighting in that unhappy country. The effort is in the highest degree credltable to the Unit. ed States, no matter whether the present mediation be entirely success. full or not.