The Washington herald., 1921-03-05
Harding Proclaims Faith
q In Inspired Acts of
Early Fathers.

y Ny Countrymen: When one sur
veys the world about him after
the great storm. noting the marks
Of destruction and yet rejoicing In
the ruggedness of the things which
yithstood II, IL he Is an American
he breathes the clarified atmos-
phere with q strange mingling of
regret and new hop4 We have
seen q world passion spend its
fury, but we contemplate our re-
public unshaken. and hold our civil
lizatien secure. Liberty-liberty
within the law-and civilization are
fnseparable and though both were
threatened we find them now Sc
cure-and there comes to Americans
the profound assurance that our
>feprssentatives government Is the
highest expression and surest guar
anty of both.
Standing in this presence. mind
ful of the solemnity OF. this oc-
casion. feeling the emotions which
no one may know until he senses
. the great weight of responsibility
. for himself, must utter my be-
! lief in the Divine Inspiration of
the founding fathers. Surely there
must have been Gods intent in the
making Of this new world republic.
Ours is an organic law which had
but one ambiguity. and we saw that
effaced in q baptism Of sacrifice
and blood. with union m0ntaining
the nation supreme and its con-
cord inspiring. We have seen the
world rivet its hopeful gaze on the
great truths on which the founders
wrought We have civil. human
and religious liberty verified and
. glorified. In the beginning the old
! world scoffed at our experiment,
today our foundations of political
! and social belief stand unshaken.
a precious inheritance to ourselves.
I an inspiring example of freedom
and civilization to all mankind. Let
us express renewed and strength
ened devotion, in grateful rever-
ence for the immortal beginning
/ and utter our confidence in the
. supreme fulfllment-
Progress Proves Wisdom.
The recorded progress of our re-
public. materially and spiritually,
insitself proves the wisdom of the
. inhefited policy of non-involve-
ment- in old world affairs. Conf
dentsof our ability to work out our
) own-destiny and jealously guard
. Ing ~ppr right to do so. we seek no
: park In directing the destinies OF
the old world We do not mean to
be entangled. We will accept nc
/ responsibility except as our own
conscience and judgment, in each
J instance, may determine.
r Our eyes never will be blind to
a developing menace. our ears
I never deaf to the call of civiIiza-
tion. We recognize the new order
in the world with the closer con-
facts which progress has wrought
We sense the call of the human
heart for fellowship. fraternity and
cooperation. We crave friendship
] and harbor no hate. But America
d our America, the America builded
= on the foundation laid by the in
spired fathers. can be a party to
4. no permanent military alliance. II
/ can enter into no political commit
ments. nor assume any economic
7 obligations which will subject our
decisions to any other than our
own huthority. ..- 80
] am sure our own people will
not misunderstood. nor will the
world misconstrue. We have nc
thought to impede the paths to
closer relationship. We wish to
I. promote understanding. We want
: to do @our part in making offensive
. warfare so hateful that govern
, ments and peoples who, resort to
It must prove the righteousness OF
their cause or stand as outlaws
before the bar of civilization.
Association For Counsel.
We are ready to associate our
selves with the nations of the
world, great and small, for confer
ence, for counsel, to seek the ex-
! pressed views OF world opinion, to
. recommend a way to approximate
disarmament and relieve the crush
ing burdens Of military and naval
establishments. We elect to par
! ticipate in suggesting plans for
mediation. cpnciliation and arbitra-
tion and would gladly join In that
, expressed conscience of progress
which seeks to clarity and write the
! laws of international relationship,
and establish a world court for the
! disposition of such justiciable ques-
. tions as nations are agreed to sub
init thereto. In expressing aspira-
; tions. in seeking practical plans, In
: translating humanity's new con-
! cept of righteousness and justice
! and its hatred of war into recon-
: mended action we are ready most
/, heartily to unite. but every commit
, ment must be made in the exercise
I of our national sovereignty. Since
. frasdam impelled. and independence
inspired. and nationality exalted, a
wor1d super-government is con-
. trary to everything we cherish ana
can have no sanction by our re-
. psbEc This Is not selhshness. II
jirsnnctity. 1t Is not aloofness. II
. isS sFcurity. 1t is not suspicion of
I others Il is patriotic adherence TO
the things which made US what we
are.
To-day, better than ever before,
WICKLOW the aspirations of human
! kind and SHIRE them. We have
come to a new realization OF our
place lin the wopld, and = new ap-
praisal of our nation by tho world.
The unselfishaess of these United
! states is q thing proven. our de-
yotion to peace for ourselves ana
for the world Is well established,
our concern for preserved civilizar
tioneshas had its impassioned ana
heroic expression There was no
American failure to resist the at
tempted reversion of civilization,
) :, -, - mn faflure today or