Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-22
SPIRIT OF WASHINGTON

Tho letter Of much Of the wisdom Of the
early statesmen has been outErown, but
the spirit Of washinEton's policy to establish
sovereign nation which should command
and demand the respect Of the world re-
mains safe guide for men today.
TNHE theory that American foreign policy
J. should be such as to foster friendly reIa'
tions with all nations and entangling alliances
with none was formed at a time when this
country was physically isolated. Three
thousand miles of ocean separated us from
Europe man could not cross from one
continent to the other in less than a month
There could be no communication by mail In
less than two months, since that time was
required for letter to get to London and
for an answer to return. The fact that
British possessions bordered the United
States on the north and Spanish possessions
on the south and west did not seriously lessen
our physical aloofness from the rest of the
world.
washington'g views on the subject were ex.
pressed in his letter to Sir Francis Newen.
ham, when he wrote of our relations to the
European nations:
1t should be the policy of the United
States to administer TO their wants without
being engaged in their quarres.
This is an admirable statement and would
serve for today as we'll as for the time when
1t was first formulated. But many American
statesmen have read into it more than it con-
tains. When the French Revolution began,
Washington said that he was glad that we
were so far away from it, because otherwise,
It would be difficult for us to keep out Of the
great conflict that was just beginning. The
issues involved were not American. But when
the French disregarded our rights on the sea
we did become involved in war with them
and fought 1t for two years. If the steam.
ship and the electric telegraph had been in
use then, 1t is more than likely that we should
sooner or later have been drawn into the
greater conflict that followed
Washngton's policy rested on the firm
foundation of national independence. He did
not want the European powers to interfere
with our internal affairs and he opposed
to our interference with the internal affairs
of other nations Some of his successors.
however, have gone so far as to be willing
to submit to indignity from European powers
rather than depart from what they are
pleased to call ''the traditional policy" of
America. When the rights of American
citizens and the dignity of the nation itself
are affected by European quarrels, we are
intensely interested in what goes on across
the water.
not concerned or that events on the other
side of the ocean do not affect us. The
United States is in the position of the owner
of large farm, which hundred years ago
far away from town that the farmer
could run 1t as he pleased. He need not care
anything about the regulations to which the
people in the city had to submit, and the
people in the city need not care what he did.
He could supply the town with provisions
without becoming involved in the quarrels
of the town folk. But when the city expands
until 1t reaches the farm lands conditions
are changed. There must be q mutual
adjustment of the relations between the two.
The farmer must be more considerate Of his
neghbors than when he was isolated, and
his neighbors who have come close to him,
have right to demand that he shall consider
their rights and their convenience
The analogy must not be pressed too far,
but it roughly parallels the changed rela.
tions between the United States and the rest
of the world which century and a quarter
have brought about.
The time has passed when this country can
play small part in world events The case
was stated with admirable precision by
Colonel Roosevelt as President when he said
that the only option possible to America,
was whether it would play its part nobly or
ignoby A nation of 100,000,00O population
bulks large from whatever angle it is
viewed. It touches the world at a thousand
points This is longer small state
occupying the edge of a continent. 1t has
spread to the Pacific and reached out to
the islands of the sea. The internal quarrels
of no nation In Europe need trouble 1t so
long as American rights are not affected
But there cannot be a great international
confiagration such as that which is now in
progress without involving us more or less
directly. Washington set out to convince
Europe that the new nation born here was
a sovereign entity entitled to respect. Unless
his successors are able to maintain the rights
of sovereign state when the beligerent
nations are ignoring all rights they will fail
in the performance of their sworn
duty.
We have outgrown the letter of much that
the early statesmen said of the international
duty of America. To apply it to conditions
today would be like attempting to dress
grown man in his first pair OF trousers. But
the spirit of Washington's policy, based on
a profound love for his country and de-
termination to make that country respected
in the family of nations, is a safe guide now
and will so remain as long as the nation
survives.
SAVE THE WATER FRONT