Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-10-10
Nelson on a Policy of Isolation.

ANCASOIA OIA q \ OALSy VI AoOA0GAO4As
Senator Nelson, Republican. Of Minnesota,
in his address yesterday afternoon in the SEN
ale gave convincing reasons why the United
States must take hand in world affairs wheth
er it wishes to or not Disagreeing with the
majority OF senators of his party Senator Mel
son is for the ratification of the treaty without
radical changes.
The one supreme lesson of the war for
America" he said is that our country can
no longer isolate itself the western hemi
sphere in peace or in war, or occupy an atti
tude sucn that of Japan prior to the advent
of Commodore Perry Neither commercially,
industrially, nor politically can we isolate our
selves from Europe. Any menace from that
source which vitality affects our commerce and
trade. our political well being or national ex-
istence must always concern us. The avenues
to Europe and TO all her people must always
be open to Chaos and anarchy there re-
acts on US here to greater or less extent. We
cannot carry intercourse with any country
given over to IawIessness or to any form of
anarchy or mob rule, neither can We AFFORD to
allow any nation to become power which
inherently would by its very nature and meth
cd aim at world dominion and world control.
Such a power may at any time, as in the
cent war, become a continuing menace to the
safety, peace and prosperity of our country"
After reciting briefly the causes that led up
to the war Senator Nelson continued: Such
a war manifestly entails upon the countries
who were successful in the war the duty for
their own future protection, if for nothing else,
to secure and establish a world peace, a peace
that will cover the entire field Of combustion.
The field of peace is as broad as the field
OF Wal. AS the welfare and safety OF America
impelled to make war in Europe, why should
not the future welfare and safety of our coun-
try impel us, in conjunction with our allies,
to prevent the recurrence of such a war. A
spark from petty Serbia kindled a war which
involved practically the entire civilized world,
our own country included. A spark from some
other source in Europe may easily embroiI the
world in another great war into which our
country is as likely to be drawn as into the
late war for such a would no doubt in
volye blockades and stoppage OF intercourse
by submarines and other methods.
Modern medical science has devoted its
skill fully as much to the prevention as to
the cure Of disease with wonderful results and
blessings for the entire human race. Sound
craftsmanship should act on the same prin-
clple. II seems to me that the craftsmanship
which is oblivious TO the importance of pro-
currence of war in the future and insists on
standing still till war actually occurs is short
sighted, lives in the past lacks a world vision
and overlooks the fact that a worlds war
should result in a worlds peace, and that such
a peace should, far possible, be of a
permanent character. 1t will not do for such
narrow and well nigh selfish views to hide
themselves behind a holier than thou cry of
patriotism. as they choose to call it, Ameri-
canism. Patriotism and Americanism are not
confined to those who thus shout 1 cannot
sympathize with that sentiment which would
have our country crawl into closed shell with
no other label than that OF the Monroe doc
trine."
Senator Nelson severely criticised those SEN
ators who manifested a nervousness toward
Great Britain and Japan. He said that those
VINO want to defeat the peace treaty either
openly or covertly paint in lurid colors the
threatening dangers from these two friendly
nations, when all other arguments fail. In
conclusion Senator Nelson said that a world
peace as provided by the peace treaty and
League Of Nations, should succeed the world
war, that the United States is vitality inter-
ested in the as the other. We do not want
another such war, and therefore our country
should cooperate with our allies as we did in
the war, in securing the blessings Of a perma-
nent worlds peace. as necessary ano essential
for the prosperity and well being of our country
for any other country on the face Of the
earth