South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-03-24
Other Editors Than Ours
"ENTANGLING ALLIANCES"
(Dearborn independently


Pres't Wilson said that those who quote George
Washington "entangling alliances" haven't read
him. He might have added that the frequency with
which this quotation is made indicates
arguments against the League of Nations.
George Washingtons farewell address is accessible
everybody in the United States is brief docu-
nent easily read and understood But it IL quite char
acteristc American habits such matters that for
very thousand who casually refer TO it author
W hardly one has himself read IT, The general i'm
preston of what that document purpor.s @ say is
drawn from editorials and speeches in the
enate
Upon refusing a third term of the presidency George
Washington for the house of representatives and
he nation his counsel and warning for the future.
So impressed he with the Importance the prop
hetic importance it has proved be, of what he
was saying that he moved to recommend
fetal If this frequent review" confined
annual reading of the address in congress on Wash
ngtons birthday.
In counseng the nation n its foreign rela-
ions Washington very clear:
observe good faith Justice toward all nations
Nothing is more essential than that permanent,
assionate attachment for others should be excluded;
and that. place OF them just and AMIGA BILE feelings
Oward all should be cultivated"
The great rule OF conduct for regard for
egn nations. is, in extending our commercial rela-
tons little political connection possible
Europe has set of primary interests which to us
no. very remote. relation Hence she must
be engaged foreign controversies the which
are essentially foreign to our concerns"
Hence therefore. it must be unwise for TO i'm
plcate ourselves. by artificial ordinary
vcisstudes of her politics. the ordinary combna-
tons and collisions her friendships enmities
Washington went
Why by Intervening our destiny with that of any
part of Europe entangle and prosperity in
he tolls OF European ambition rivalship interest,
lumor caprice?"
>There then is washington's whole counsel on the
ubject 1t counsel that has been consistently fol-
owed by the United States throughout it's history.
a against duplicating ourselves by
artificial ties in "the vicssitudes OF European poll
tics" in the combinations and collisions Of European
friendships or enmities; and it is counsel against
"entangling ourselves with European ambition.
rivalship interest humor caprice Every word and
lhrase is significant.
All this is very clear were to refuse any treaty
citation which while binding friendship with one
nation should also bind be enemy that
ions enemies We refuse treaty relations with
any combination of nations against which another
combination might arise. From all the uncertainty Of
European politics hold strictly aloof.
We have done that in the case Of single nations,
and in Prest wilson's rejection Of Premier Clemen-
ceau's balance OF power plan. have done that in
/ ne OF combination of nations.
What the United States has sought 10 do has been
/ o abolish European conditions which George Wash
ngton regarded such menace to this country. II
has since proved 70 be the menace of the world our
selves included. and have regarded it duty
not to any naFOn. nor to Europe. but TO humanity
to remove that menace.
European alliances made the European The
United states instead OF entanglng herself in those
alliances. IS helping Europe disentangle herself from
them. that the continental nations ano the world
may be free.
Had George Washington been offered the opportun-
y or disentanglIng the menace or Europe and so
abolishing IL the OF humanity, would he have
refused. refused the call? Not by any
hing we can conjecture concerning him.
We are mixing in any European "friendship'' or
'enmty" in any alliance combination" We are
dissolvng all enmities into League OF Peace We
charging all alliances into world alliance We are
leping organize the peace Of the world those
/ ,asic principles which George Washington wished
organize the peace Of the United States.
wilson's policy Washington's policy enlarged to
aclude all OF humanity.
And. observe IL is only universally humane policy
nat be made TO include all humanity.
/ What doing is seeking TO disentangle our
selves the world from alliance with