Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-11
AMERICA DR|F TING.
SAYS DR.. BUTLER
President of Columbia University
Discusses Foreign Policies
of Government
URGES LOYAL NATlONALlSM
Live in Too Much Of Glass House
to Throw Stones at Other Ma
tons for Breaking Treaties.
URGES LOYAL NATlONALlSM
TBy Associated ,~.sxr

/ rlsy Associated !~.sS.1
X PITTSBURGH. February l0.-"Whcn
America speaks whom America acts.
the whole world should know that it
speaks and acts as nation and not
as series Of conflicting and antagon-
'Stic Sroups or sections" said DR..
Nicholas Murray Butler. president of
Columbia University. in an address at
the annual Dime" Of The Pittsburgh
chamber - Commerce here tonight
~" "a% """Sd"ria- the question us
Amcri.J bri:;i:g?' and his answer
Was in tn affirmative. 1t was drift
ing IN respect t. it's foreign policy and
this was due in part both TO tho form
of government and thc temperament OF
IN" American people.
pemocracics End II difficult to en-
gage cH"e'iv,I,. IN International inter
course. he aid aud the American
democracy -N:n more 50 than that OF
the i'rs.."ii ! ,,Ibic. Or any other re-
public. bee use the division Of power
and responsibility between executives
and legislature. Lctwtcn the nation and
the constituent states, makes it diff
tcuit 10 formulate and execute con-
sistcnt policy
we Americans" he said. live in FAR
too much Of glass house 10 make it
\ VIE to throw stones al other nations
who refer TO treaty Is d scrap OF
paper.
our political habits max. increas-
/ insly frequent the modification or re-
peal OF explicit treaty provisions by n
1 subsequent act OF Congress without any
notice 10 the other high contracting
power. Our form Of government per
| mts nnd our tenpera ncnt encourages
/, the denial by state IcSislat urc or
other local au;horit! of rights secured
Il sol or
treaty ma king power. The government
! OF the United States has bound itself
/ by numerous ;r.atics 10 give rights
10 aliens. bur despite This fact the
personal and property rights OF aliens
have been repeatedly violated. and orr
fricndl? relations with foreign coun-
tries hay" thereb: been put in Jeopardy.
WITHIN the memory OF the generation
nov living there have been outrageous
attacks on aliens who were entitled
ny treaty "a orr protection In wyom.
irs. in Washington. in idaho. in Mon.
tana, in Oregon. III Alaska in Cali.
! forhia. u: Louisiana. IN Texas in Colo
RADIO. IN Mississippi and III Florida.
II has been asserted that in the pass
age OF the La Toilette shipping bill
more than twenty lrea ties were rudely
! violated
MORE LOYAL NtTiONAIISM
IS REMEDY ron CONDITIONS
~ il be asked how ar. conditions
to he brttsr.d, the answer is by a
NOR: intense. more thorough and a
more loyal nationaiiSm. We must be
Americans first; and citizens OF a State
i or residents Of a particular community
| aftcruard. We must give to the gov
eminent of the United States the power
which IL docs not at present possess.
! I" protect tho treaty rights Of aliens
! through direct action in the Federal
courts. Americans nust give up til cir
| increasing tendency to think in terms
I OF classes. or groups, or sections or
States, and learn t. think nationally
! in terms Of the whole United States,
! It's aims. its interests and its honor.
| When America speaks or when America
acts. tho whole world should know
that it speaks ind acts as a nation and
not as series Of conflicting and an
tasonistic groups or sections. when
this comes 10 pm "a We ahall have ceased
Ia drift in our international policies
and rela tionshps"
/ In other respects, Or. Butler found,
America was drifting, one OF them be-
ms with relation TO industrial prob
lens. our present habit" lie said sis
Z" let things drift until some acute
crisis occurs. and then 10 meet il by
Il SURRENDER or ny compromise. without
any regard 10 III. future but with
EYES GS.d oay un the immediate
present. The greater part of the pub
lie seems 10 ne utterly obiivious TO the
critical position III which the treat
railway sEstc:1s OF Tive United States
I nave been Dit. moi ~ constructive
regulation Of Srysr0Hrntal super
vision, Bus h: p"licirs OF competing,
conflicting. and unrelated prosecutions
and pin-p,ick Ing. Tn. great railways
+, of the United Statee arc national a.
sets. and they constitute the arterial
system of our commercial and indus
trial ifc. They ar. asking and they
should auioi.iy r"ceivc. single. con-
ss'rnt and Veil ordered constructive
+ oversight ard regulation from the ma
'i"n.i E"N.Eancnt AMI from the ma
fionai government alone. IL was local
interference with commerce that led
directly L. ne formation Of the Con.
( siitutiun OF the United states 1t is
local interference with commerce that
now constitutes perhaps our most diff
} cult domestic problem"
PLEADS rOR NEW rOLlCY
~ ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIPS
l}r Butler also referred III this dis
cusaion To drifting tendencies against
considering great industries and cor
porate undertakings a 5 prjma rily some
thing human. and not merely some
tl4ns mechanical or material or finan-
et%l lie pleaded for a new policy to
."N.:n MAJ! OF our economic and in
dG"trin' rel Iionsa.ps
u: re*c.St 10 national service. the
country was also drifting NO one
can possibly hate the state OF mind
and the spirit that are militar.sm more
than do said he. And no one would
resis, more actively and emphatica,ly
any movement 10 change the peace
soNinS Industrial spirit and temper Of
our people Tor an! Of the older forms
or m!iiiarisin that are now slowly go
Ing 10 their deaths. let W hope nevor
10 be rcsurrected. on the battle felds
OF Europe.
"Rut there is a call 70 national .sr..aL