Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1917-02-24
Cornell University President
Declares That, After Cen
tury and Quarter, First
President Still Remains
Pole Star of American
Foreign Policy
SCORES PACIFISTS
IN HIS REMARKS
Says Though Washington
Was Great General and
Fought Victorious War
for National Independence
He Was No GlOrifier of
Militarism

NllllIdIlSI1
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Feb. o.
George Washington, after a century
and a quarter still remains the pole
star of American foreign policy, de-
clared Jacob Gold Schurman, president
of Cornelly university, today in an adj
dress before the University of Penn
sylvania, which suspended its regular
academic functions for eXerices in
celebration of Washington's birthday.
DR.. Schurman recalled how Wash
ington attended commencement at the
University of Pennsylvania in May,
1775-then known as the College of
Philadelphia-in company with the
other members of the Second CONT
mental congress. Toward the conclus-
ion of his address, DR.. Schurman, aft
er having discussed Washington's pre-
eminence as a soldier and statesman,
his Americanism and his insistence on
American rights, said:
"How inspiring is the example of
Washington to Americans today!
Once more a great European power
menaces our rights. We are forbid
den to sail our ships or to travel where
we will on the high seas under penalty
of being sunk without warning by sub
marines. The German government
draws lines across the ocean, which is
free to all, and says to America: Thus
far shalt thou come but no farther
Now, we recognize the restrictions of
a legitimate blockade and the penal
ties of carrying contraband; these are
fixed by the law of nations. But apart
from these limitations American ships
and American passengers have right
to go where they will on all the seven
seas.
"Are there any who weakly advise
us to forego our rights in Difference to
the German challenge? Would Ger
many, ask, forego her rights if in
her place America without any war
rant of law had set aside a vast tract
of ocean for ruinous depredations on
the commerce of neutrals and ruthless
attack on the lives of non-combatants -?
Could any great nation survive, ought
any great nation to survive, crayenly
yields its rights at the summons of
the aggressor? The same law which
guarantees our rights to territorial
waters authorizes US to sail freely on
the high seas. If belligerents are per-
mitted to exclude US from the oceans,
why should they not also appropriate
our territorial waters-or even march
their armies across our frontiers The
surrender of one national right weak
ems and imperils every other. Come
what may our nation must defend its
rights. And with united hearts and
resolute determination the American
people stand behind President Wilson;
and they will not tolerate either the
paralysis of American shipping or the
murder of American citizens"
There is a third feature of Wash
tington's craftsmanship which is es-
pecially instructive at the present
time," DR.. Schurman also pointed out.
81 mean his advocacy of military pre-
paredness and his general attitude to
the questions of peace and war.
Though Washington was a great
general and fought a victorious war
for national independence he was no
glorifier of militarism. On the other
hand he was equally removed from
pacifism. He regarded war as one of
the inevitable features of national ex-
istence. Listen to the wise words he
addressed to congress in his first
speech after reelection:
az cannot recommend to your no
tice measures for the fulfillment of
our duties to the rest of the world,
without again pressing upon you the
necessity of placing ourselves in a con-
dition of complete defence, and of ex-
acting from them the fulfillment of
their duties towards US. The United
States ought not to indulge a persuas-
ion, that, contrary to the order of hui
man events, they will forever keep at
a distance those painful appeals to
arms, with which the history of every
other nation abounds. There is a rank
due to the United States among ma
tons, which will be withheld, if not
absolutely lost, by the reputation of