Evening star., 1923-01-17
ROOT URCESSTUDY
Of FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Scores "Ignorance" of
Americans on International
Problems.
PEOPLE TO BE INFORMED
Committee of 1C0 of Civic Fedora
ton Meeting at Will
lard.
PEOPLE TO BE INFORMED

America has applied too severely
the old maxim that one-half of the
world does not know how the other
half lives, and as a result this coun-
try finds itself ignorant of foreign
affairs in the hour of civilizations
gravest crisis. That is the sense of
an address with which EIihu Root.
Secretary of State under President
Theodore Roosevelt, opened Il two
day meeting in the Willard Hotel
today of the committee of one hum
dred on foreign relations. appointed
recently by Alton B. Parker, presi-
dent of the National Civic Fedora
ton.
VIII Inform America.
The committee, which is composed
of some of the best known men and
women in the United States. was ap-
pointed at the recommendation of the
Federations national conference in
New York last November 1t is
pledged to obtain. organize and fur
nish TO the membership of the varied
podleS and to the general public ac-
|uI Idlo anu unbiased Information on
important international relations and
movements" which is to serve as
material for study groups and aid in
me development of sane and just
Amerlcan opinion on our national
duties and our personal responsibility
toward foreign nations"
MT. Root made il plain that the day
when America may concern itself
only with national problems has
passed; that attitude has virtually
rendered this nation useless in the
settlement of International questions
Tor some time to come already, be said
FROM now on. the speaker warned,
the American public must become
better acquainted with how other
peoples live. so that it may vote in
telligently upon the international
questions it must sooner or later de-
termine.
Committee Has One Purpose.
"I understand" he began. "the COM
mittee to have one general purpose
to devise and put into operation
means for educating the people of the
United States in the fundamentals of
international relations. That is some
thing very much needed. The people
Of this country have not bothered
themselves very much about this
question; they have been absorbed in
their own home affairs: they were
pushing after and Conquering this
continent. building up a great nation.
"And now we are brought into i'm
mediate and inevitable contact with
foreign affairs. The whole people of
the United States are expressing
part of the discussions are carried
on on a basis of insufficient knowl-
edge. There are some people in the
United States. l think. who like hu-
NJ n
they know 1t all-and really know
very little. There are many who
believe they can solve all the great
problems of international affairs by
evolving schemes of their own con-
seriousness. And they settle every
thing but the difficulties.
Act In Good Faith.
These men act in perfect good
faith; they simply don't know the
real difficulties that exist. One of
the great difficulties in our life is a
lack OF understanding of other men.
In every country there Is a set of
traditions. of modes of thought, a
set OF conceptions of what is right,
proper, appropriate and decent; a set
Of conventions Of what constitutes lib
erty; of what constitutes right as
between man and man"
It is a lack Of properly understand
Ing these national feelings. the speak
er said, that makes this country vir-
tually impotent in foreign affairs at
this time. To handle interna tional
affairs we must understand that all
peoples do not think as we do; that
they have traditions we must respect.
Self-imposed isolation has denied the
American people knowledge of
these conditions, Mr.. Root declared.
At last, however. we are turning in
the right direction, he added, and
continued.
Involves Great Danger.
'I want to add this: The entrance
of democracy upon the field of for
eign affairs--the manifest purpose
of the voters in democratic countries
TO control themselves directIy--in-
wolves terrible danger as we'll as
great step in human progress 1t
will be q great step If the democracy
is informed: terrible danger if the
democracy is ignorant An ignorant
democracy controlling foreign affairs
leads directly to war and the destruc-
tion of civilization. An informed
democracy insures peace and the
progress of civilization.
You can pick up a newspaper al
most any morning and see accounts
of where somebody, who ought to
know better. is endeavoring, either to
crafty himself or ingratiate himself
with prejudiced audience by abuse
the use of language which, If en-
ployed in the intercourse between
man and man within our own coun-
try, would lead to immediate breach.
Such men have never had brought
home to them any sense of responsi-
bility as a member of a democracy to
keep the peace. Remember, more
fights come from insults than from
injuries; in that respect it is the same
with nations as it is with men,"
"Coue-ixes" Sentence.
Mr.. Root became entangled in a
Coue every way" sentence today
when he began a sentence by saying
1--WE are learning. we are learning
something every day in every"
AS the smiles of his audience turned
to chuckles, he added, 'in every re-
spect," upon which he, too, Joined in
the laughter.
Judge Parker, who was democratic
presidential candidate in 1904, was
husy Just before this mornings ses-
SION introducing his bride of day,
formerly Miss Amelia Day Campbell.
From here they will go to Judge
Parker's plantation in Florida.