The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-22
WASHINGTON STILL POLE star
OF AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY
CORNELL Pre- S|DENT DECLARES
Father of His Country Was Great Advocate of Prepar
edness But Glorifer of Mitarsm, Instructor Says
Addressing Students of Pennsylvania University.

L L
Washington, after a century and a
quarter still remains the pole star of
American foreign policy, declared ia
cob Gould Schurman, President of
Cornell University, to-day in an ad-
dress before the University Of Penn
sylvania, which suspended it's regular
academic functions for exercises in
celebration of Washington's birthday.
DR.. Schurman recalled how Wash
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 conclu-
sion, of his address, Dr. Schurman,
after having discussed Washington
pre- eminence as a soldier and states
man, his Americanism and his insist
ence on American rights, said:
"How inspiriting is the example of
Washington to Americans to-day! Once
more a great European power men
aces our rights. We are forbidden 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 far
ther.' Now we recognize the restric-
lions of a legitimate blockade and the
penalties of carrying contraband:
these are fixed by the law, Of nations.
But apart from these limitations Am
erican ships and American passengers
have right to go where they will on
all the seven seas.
care there any who weakly advise
us to forego our rights in Difference
to the German challenge? Would
Germany, ask, forego her rights if
in her place America without any war
rant of law had set aside vast tract
of ocean for ruinous depredations on
the commerce of neutrals and ruth
less attack on the lives of non-com7
batants? Could any great nation sur
vive, ought any great nation to sur
vive, which cravenly 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 bel
ligerents are permitted to- exclude us
also appropriate our territorial waters
or even march their armies across
our frontiers? The surrender of one
national right weakens and lmper1ls
every other. Come what may our ma
ton must defend it's rights. And with
united hearts and resolute determine
ton the American people stand behind
President Wilson; and they will not
tolerate either the paralysis of Amer
lean shipping or the murder of Amer
lean citizens"
"There is a third feature of Wash
ingtorl's craftsmanship which is es-
pecially Instructive at the present
time, ?, DR.. Schurman also pointed out
81 mean his advocacy Of military pre-
paredhess and his general attitude to
the Questions of peace and war.
Though Washington was great
general and fought a victorious war
for national independence he was no
glorifier of nilitarism. On4the 9TH
er hand he was equally removed from
pacifism. He regarded war as one
of the inevitable features of national
existence. Listen to the, wise words
he addressed to Congress in his first
speech after reelection:
"I cannot recommend to your no.
ttice 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 fulf1lment of
their duties towards us. The United
States ought not to indulge persua-
sion, that, contrary to the order OF hu-
man events, they will ever keep at a
distance those painful appeals to arms,
with which the history Of every 9TH
er. nation abounds. There is a rank
due to the United States among ma
lions, which will be withheld, if not
absolutely lost, by the reputation of
weakness. If we desire to avoid In
suit. we must be able to repel it; if we
desire to secure peace, one Of the most
powerful instruments of our rising
prosperity, it must be known that we
are at all times ready for war
"In this passage you have Wash
ington's whole philosophy of peace
war, and preparedness. Nothing
truer or wiser has ever been written,
and Washingtons words are as true
and wise and applicable to-day as
they were when he uttered them in
1898. Undoubtedly there have been
many changes in the century and
quarter that has since elapsed. Com
munications by. sea and land have
greatly improved intercourse with
foreign countries has increased, inter-
national relations have ben multiplied.
But. human nature is substantially I'M
changed, and national ambitions and
rivaIries, stimulated by greater prizes,
are more intense and perhaps more
explosive than ever before. What
ever be the future prospects 70 the hu-
man race, we have not yet reached
that stage of rational and moral de-
velopment in which justice, righteous
ness, and public law can dispense
with sanctions of physical force.
cit is painful situation for Ameri-
ca, dedicated as she is to peaceful in
dustry, democratic government, and
the promotion of the general welfare.
War is a contradiction of these high
aims. Z Yet there is no gainsaying the
truth of Washington's words: If we
want to secure peace we must be- at
all times ready for war; Indeed the
saying is truer now than ever before.
For war to-day is conducted on such a