The Washington herald., 1917-03-18
"A Review Of American Foreign
Policy During the World War;
Presidents Erstwhie Diplomatic Course of Seem
ing Neutrality Masterpiece Which Has
Awakened the Entire Nation
BY ARCHIBALD NJ. JAMESON.

A rationale of American policy b the
world war cannot yet be developed In its
entirety. The rupture with Germany,
however. closed one chapter and opened
another. A certain perspective on our
diplomacy can now be attained.
What does the present drift towards
war with Germany mean? A mere vindi-
cation OF our maritime rights, a stand
In favor Of existing sea law and the pro-
lection Of commerce? Such 1t appears
on the surface. and such is the legal the
diplomatic garb to cover the structure.
the framework of American policy which
has been developing since the day Ger
many lnsheathed the sword.
American policy Is something which
does not show transparently In the State
Department white book" containing the
myriad notes Mr.. Lansing has addressed
to Germany since the beginning of sub
marine lawlessness. Policy Is entirely
apart from legalism. Nations do not base
their actions solely on their legal rights.
Holland. for instance, has not followed
the example Of the United States In
breaking with Germany and arming her
ships. although she is suffering far more
severely from the new U-boat program,
and Is keenly aware that her legal rights
have been invaded. 1t Is not her policy
to antagoniZe Germany. for obvious rea-
sons; she regards the law of self
preservation as higher than any man
made law.
Policy Once q Yoke.
American foreign policy three years ago
was one of those pleasant, popular fic-
tions which orators used for Fourth-of-
July purposes. and misfits like William
Jennings Bryan used for the ropagation
OF harmless treaties. We had the Wash
ingtonian tradition Of Isolation and
freedom from entangiIng alliances"; the
Monroe doctrine. the "Open Door," the
decaying carcass of Dollar Diplomacy"
a curiously uneven Caribbean policy. and
a nebulous determination to assist the
evolution OF popular government in
Mexico.
The European war caught US unpre-
pared. President Wilson, declared the
formal neutrality OF the United States.
That neutrality was based on traditional
American isolation from the blood-feuds
of Europe.
But the war had not proceeded many
months before 1t became apparent that
Isolation was to become a shattered
shibboleth, that America was to be
dragged out into the world, must take
cognizance of such things as concerts
and balances of power. no matter how
incorrigibly self-sustaining and provincial
she might be at heart.
Wilson a Secret HeImsman.
President Wilson perceived this from
the first and knew that one Of his most
delicate problems was to know how and
when to abandon isolation" and edu-
cate his public to assuming its share Of
International responsibility He allowed
public opinion to go forward under its
own steam," making little or no attempt
to stimulate it; his share as helmsman
was carefully concealed. American SEN
timentality he paid little or no attention
to. sentimentality Is shallow, and pro-
ally sentiment In the United States. he
knew. would prove a decidedly slender
reed for any statesman to lean upon, so
fas as responsible policy was concernd
Therefore he seemingly ignored It; or,
rather. he waited its translation into
sterner stuff. Formally, he depiored 1t
and scored "hyphenates" leaning to
either side Of the European quarrel. But
the very abandonment of the policy Of
Isolation" literally forced upon the ma
ton. meant in itself an abandonment OF
rigid neutrality, although there was
never any real Acknowledgement Of this
fact until the President offered the sup
port Of America to either one of the
group Of belligerents which accepted his
plan for effecting permanent peace among
the nations.
Perhaps the true significance Of the
Presidents famous peace note" to the
belligerents. and his subsequent address
to the Senate, was its implication that
the end Of a century. and more, of isola-
tion has come; that this country was
willing to cast its lot with the nations
which were fighting for ideals approx
mating our own.