Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-04
FOREIGN POLICY PUZZLES
THE AMERICAN WILL
Oistastefulncss Of Paramount
Problem Explains Why Politicians
Approach II So GinqerIy

countries is almost certain to be heated.
There is no particular objection. of
course. to argument vigorously wagcd.
! Indeed. 1t is n popular belief that truth
lies somewhat between extremes Of opin =
ion aud that its clear spirit can be
forced into the open by the very stress
of controversy.
But foreign policy as a political bat
tleground cannot be made to conform to
this engaging theory. It's defects as
they affect the American electorate arc
twofold. Tho opinions advanced by the
average voter are second hand. ITc is
loath for that reason TO accord them n
full measure of confidence.
Tho inevitable result is mental fog,
stu'tifying wrangles and political confu =
sion. which in the most crraiic fashion
plays fast and loose with traditional
partisan alincments.
No sooner. for example. had Senator
Harding declared himself upon tho
League of Nations in such n way that
several interpretations are permissible
than Chairman White. of the Demo
cratic National Committee. subordinates
the league as an issue to ncbulous
"ProgresSivism.
This docs not mean that the league
and the treaty arc Shorn of their inn
portancc. That is intrinsic. But the
shutiiing and hedging from which, ap-
parcntly. neither of the two great par
tics is free is reflective of the native
temperament in it's reactions to Qucs-
tionS affecting our course beyond the
three mile limit. Foreign problems are
kuotty. They call for speculation about
the future. and Immediately the boun-
daricS Of controversy arc Cmbarrass-
ingly widcncd
Furthermore home dilcmmaS through
out our history have occupied most of
our attention. We can negotiate"
them. visualize them with direct rcla-
tion to our own instant affairs. The
protectionist is likely to discover strong
personal reasons supporting his stand
for high tariff. Arguments which
move tho free trader are often equally
intimate.
We and our ancestors have been
busily engaged in creating and develop
ing great nation. To think beyond
our frontiers. notwithstanding the fact
that we have had our share of foreign
wars. is disconrcrting. There is public
foundcring and political blundcring.
Exhibitions of both have been given
by party leaders and their supporters
cvcr sine" tho simple. dramatic and
emotional arguments for war were Su
pCrSCdcd by the complex. ponderouS
and. by contrast. unthrilling contnn-
tionS on behalf of world peace. And it
was ever thus.
The vibrant patriotism of the Am RI
can Revolution made way for treaty
row which for bitterness cngrndcrcd and
misconceptions displayed is hardly par
a'lc,cd by the adventures in Washing.
ton. and now in tho campaign arena,
of tho pact of Versailles.
Rcpugnancr to tho treaty with Great
Britain which John Jay brought back
from London in lT9J was by no means
exclusively based on the natur" Of that
document. Inspection Of his work de-
mandcd International thinking. and that
tribute the public was disiuclincd to
pay,
1t was simpler. it involved less study.
less effort in pursuit Of real nfOrma tIoD
for the House of Representatives to
balk for time at making it operative
than for this body sincerely to uppraiS"
its worth or dcmcritS. Had prcSi-
dental election been imminent at that
date it is possible that party lines might
have been wavy. This conjecture nat
urally eliminates Washington. whose
treaty stand was obStinatoly unyiclding.
but the professional politicians would
have had their ears close to the ground.
a. they have today.
How extremely little profcsscd prin-
rlplcs Of partisanship count when the
question to be decided is of broad sig
nihranCe and scope is illustrated in the
case of the Louisiana Purchase. In a
way the trans Mississippi territory
question in 1903 could be classified as
foreign The thirteen states and their
new sisters were far. indeed, from New
Orleans.
Dcmagogy naturally had its innings.
Politics made strange bcdfClIows. 1t
was tho JcffcrSonian party. by profess
sion "strirt COnStructionists' of the
constitution. which demanded imperial
increase Of the federal domain. 1t was
the so-callcd FcderaiStS. up TO that
point Jealous advocates Of strengthen
ing the national power, who sought to
bl * the move,
The cpioguc to the Spanish War is
an especially typical instance of the
confusion and cross purposes which
Quandaries relative to foreign affairs
breed in the United States. The Slcn-
de- Acss of the margin by which the ma
tiOn was saved from a protractcd and
disgusting political row is sometimes
forgotten. The treaty with tho Madrid
Government after hanging fire for
weeks in the Senate. was eventually
passed in February, 1890, with single
vote TO spare.
The Philippine question was an irri-
tating novelty. Acquisition Of the
Islands marked the entrance of the ma
ton as power in the Orient. 1t
pleased the Democrats to view the flu
turc with trrmulous alarm. Had they
possessed sufficient representation in the
Senate they would in all probability
have defeated the treaty.
Passed though the pact was, the OK
pansiou question was carried over into
the presidential campaign. The Demo
Gratis. however. were unable to make
the country see the importance of this
subject, upon which they were so fun
damentally wrong Free silver, a
theme upon which the individual Amer.
lean believed at least that he could
make up his mind without arduous
lahor bCcamP for second time tho