The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-12-21
AsRrGHr5 PRESERVED.

Iss4 4 f.f = y q y : y
Inaccurate and Misleading Is the statement made
By pro-league newspapers that the American
demand for the Observance Of our rights in the
Ear East is participation In European affairs.
The right Of tho United States to have ies mer-
chant ships or It's fghting ships 80 and come as
they please on waters not within the Jurisdiction
o. any one nation, Is not an European affair. The
United States has never indicated any intention
70 keep ont Of discussion or settlement Of matters
Of that kind.
In the rejection OF the league Of nations coyen.
ant and refusal TO tie ourselves up in "a perman.
ent compact With practically all European ma
tions We did not announce policy OF isolation nor
renounee our right to protect our national inter
ets In Europe OF In any other section OF the earth
What we did do and what we stu do has been
adequately described By President Harding when
no said In substance that we reserve to ourselves
the right TO say when and where ana in what man
ner we shall participate in the discussion Of cues
tons OF interest to ourselves directly or indirectly
When certain European nations got together in
an effort to distribute among themselves special
PRIVILEGES In the Far East, our Department Of state
with the approval Of the President, gave notice
OF our intention to insist upon an omen door
policy. This was not q demand for any special
privileges for ourselves and not an effort to get
for ourselves any benefits resulting from the war
in Europe We were merely asking that In the
formation OF international treaties, voluntary or
inyolutary there shall be no unjust and unfair dis
elimination against the United States We do not
ask for ourselves or our citizens any privileges
that we are unwilling to have extended to any other
nation or It's citizens.
Having failed in their effort to induce the gov
eminent Of the United States to yield its soyer.
eighty to super.state known as the league OF
nations, the nternationalists In this country are
now striving on every slender opportunity to
create the impression that the United States IS
breaking away from It's policy OF Independence
and gradually departing from the International
policies Of George Washington In reality IL not in
form. AS matter Of fact. fully proven by the
records. athe Republican administration has not
varied from the policy announced In the campaign
OF 1890 SO far international relations are con.
eerned We now maintain diplomatic relations
With all the other leading nations OF the earth
Just as we have throughout our national existence.
We not only seek TO maintain friendly diplomatic
relations but TO attain closer commercial relations
We do this however, without in any way limit
ing our right as nation to shape our ltnernation
al policies according to conditions as they are pre-
sented from time to time.
The only sense in which the United States is
isolated is that 1t refuses to NEEDLE in foreign con-
troVersies which are none Of our business. When
ever any foreign negotiations affect the rights and
interests Of the United States they cease to be
tirely foreign and become In measure an Ameri-
can problem.
Now, as in the past, we are minding our own
business and letting other peoples business alone