The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-01
Contraction Of the wilson Foreign
Doctrine.

DOCtH1nos
When President WILSON spoke very
frankly on Saturday evening before
the League to Enforce Peace on the
European war. he declared that 1.-THE
lesson which the shock OF being taken
by surprise In a matter 80 deeply
vital to all the nations Of the world
had made roignantly clear is that the
peace Of the world must henceforth
depend on a new and more wholesome
diplomacy" and assuming to speak
for the American people he said:
w believe these fundamental thinss.
First. that every people have a right
to choose the sovereignty under which
they shall live
Second. that the small States Of the
world rave . right to enjoy the same re-
spect for their sovereignty and for their
territorial intes rity that great and power
full nations expect and insist upon.
And third. that the world has a right
10 be free from every disturbance OF Its
peace that has its origin In aggression
and the disregard Of the rights Of peo-
pies and nations"
Not only did the President proclaim
it as his opinion that the people
believed these Fundamental things"
but ne confidently asserted that:
80 sincerely do we believe IN these
things that I am sure that I speak the
mind and wish Of the people Of America
when / say that the United States 10
willing TO become a partner In any fea-
sible association OF nations formed IN
order to realize these objects and make
them secure against violation"
In another paragraph Of this ad-
dress the President said that he was
''sure that the people Of the United
States would wish their Government
to move along these lines:
"a universal association OF the ma
tions to maintain the inviolate security
OF the highway OF the seas for the COM
mon and unhindered use Of all the ma
lions Of tho world and 20 prevent any
wal begun either contrary to treaty
covenants or without warning and full
submission Of the causes to the opinion
OF tho world virtual guarantee of
territorial integrity and political inde-
pendencs."
Herein the President proposed that
the United States should Join an al
lance Of Powers for the regulation Of
boundary lines and the protection Of
nations all over the earth an alliance
that, to achieve its object. must
undertake a task Of investigation,
REIMBURSEMENT and repression world
wide In its scope, the end Of which Is
beyond the imagination Of any states
man to foresee. II would involve this
country in the obscure ana difficult
disputes that disturb the politics and
menace the peace Of every continent
and tribe I'm the world. Unless our
participation In the incidental
sells were to be literary only, and
hence farcical, our u would
be pledged to uphold the mandates
of the alliance, and nonconformance
with its edlcts would be the signal
for the exercise Of our cOercive power
in Europe, In Africa. In Asia, wher-
ever their application was opposed.
THE Sun said of this scheme that
1t would reverse the historic policy
of the Government set forth In WASH
INGroN's Farewell Address and STU
diously adhered TO by the statesmen
of four generations. We said We did
not believe the American people of
to-day wanted. or would consent. TO
enter into e%ntangling foreign ALI
ances; and we questioned the authen-
ITCHY OF the impression on which
the President based his contrary Opin.
ion. In Mr.. WILSON'S Memorial Day
address will be found conclusive evil
dcnce that he has changed his mind
on this subject, for mt Arlington he
endeayored to revise his utterance by
denying in this fashion the unavoid-
able Implications Of his plan:
II also said that 7 believed that the
people Of the United States were ready
to become partners In any alliance OF
the nations that would guarantee pubIic
right above selfish aggression, Some Of
tho public prints have reminded me. - Il
! needed to DO reminded. of what General