Evening star., 1922-02-12
BY THOMAS r.. MARsALL.
Former Vice President of the
United States.

t1ftoUIE ldCk OIL uusIHcSo
methods the finances of
my little country town In
Indiana once became so In
volved that the officials
were unable to determine how
much Of the money remaining in
the treasury belonged to each Of
the various funds. Suspicion Of
dishonesty was wholly lacking.
The finances had just got in
mess. The town council made futile
efforts to devise some plan where
by the funds might be properly
separated. 1t even considered q
proposition to turn the town back
to the township on the theory that
more competent officials could
make the adjustments that were
needed. Finally the council voted
to destroy all books, papers and
documents and to take Q fresh
start.
+ X X *
am reminded Of this incident
of Main street by the many sug-
gestions being made relative to
the conduct of world affairs. / am
myself in doubt whether the au-
thorfty to run the world should
be turned over to those who are
competent to use it or whether it
would be well to destroy all
records and make a new start,
beginning with the self-determina-
tion Of small nations.
Theoretically, all of US assent
to the proposition that govern
ments derive their just powers
from the consent of the governed.
theoretically. we hold it to be the
right of every people to set up and
maintain their own form of gov
ernment. Theoretically. we believe
in self-determination, but we won
der how small or large a nation
must be to be entitled to self
we try to define self-determination
and we draw far apart when we
seek to agree on who by education
and judgment are competent to
enforce Relf-determination
The Indian in America is a race
and a people unto themselves.
Carried to its ultimate conclusion.
the doctrine of self-determination
would declare that these people
should be allowed to set up their
own form of government, that the
authorities at Washington. instead
of trying to make farmers out Of
them, should let them go their
own sweet way and trundle their
war-whoops over the plains. Per-
sonally. I favor independence for
the Filipinos, but 1 am unable to
say definitely that they would be
the better for it.
1t is hardly probable that in the
modern trend toward democracy
with it's rights Of self-government,
an unwelcome rule can long be
imposed upon people who have
the qualities of self-government.
The public opinion of mankind is
quite likely to turn the scales in
favor of that people who desire
self-rule. provided they are COM
petent to maintain it
However, self-governing nations
of the world ought not to be too
severely judged if they are not
insist that other governments shall
yield sovereignty whenever they
are informed that certain portions
Of those governments desire their
own rule. There are but few
countries in the world today where
there are not many fOrward-look.
ing men. inspired with the loftiest
ideals of patriotism and genuine
hope for the freedom and self-gov-
Nf hni 10 IN
ciple for which they stand is not
to be gainsaid, nor are their mo-
tives to be impugned. They prop
erly belong to that school of
thinkers who believe that, regard
less of the ignorance of the masses
of the people, a democracy can be
Instituted by the rule of the few.
/ am not disposed to dispute this,
but 1 readily say that it is extreme
ly doubtful.
Power grows upon what it feeds
and the most humble-minded man
on earth has a suspicion that what
he believes would be good for his
fellow men would be good for
them. Yet I cannot see how it is
the duty Of nations to do more
than to state the principle of self
determination and to hope that
that principle may be crystallized
into the political conduct of man
kind.
\ r. X 4
The unfortunate outcome of each
conference looking toward the
good Of the world has resulted
from the idea that it was called
to establish universal justice. when
there never has been such thing
and I doubt that I shall live to see
the complete rule of universal
Justice over men and nations. Be-
yond sympathy and the expression
Of good will, 1t is ofttimes impos-
sible to pass.
The Korean people made through
educated representatives an ap-
peal to the Washington confer
ence for the doctrine of self-de-
termination. Statements in their