The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-04-26

pies. Unless this course is pursued,
unless this attitude Is maintained,
all the support which our Govern
ment could give would fail to make
these foreign enterprises successful.
Unless they rest On justice and fair
dealing they are bound to fail.
Reason for War
A third factor exists which is in
the long run more important than
any other. A condition of under
standing and good will among the
people of the earth is very largely
a state of the public mind. 1t is
almost inconceivable that nations
which have maintained friendly re-
lations should all at once find them
selves at war with each other.
Armed conflict arises from a. long
series of misunderstanding and
abuses which suddenly flare up on
some unexpected provocation. Open
hostility does not break out unan-
nounced. 1t is growth of long and
assidious cultivation. 1t can not be
doubted that people as a whole de-
sire peace. They can not long Sc
cure it if they are constantly harbor-
ing feelings of hostility. 1t is for
these reasons that the public press.
especially the daily newspapers and
weekly periodicals, has such an en-.
ormous influence in creating a stu
alton that brings the blessings of
peace or is fraught with the perils
of war.
There are two attitudes that the
press may take which distinctly en-
danger our friendly relations. II
they do not bring us to the verge
Of conflict, they are injurious to our
trade. One is the constant criticism
and misrepresentation of foreign
people. Human nature provides
sufficient distrust of all that is alien
so that there is no need of any arti-
fetal supply. The world is in far
more danger from nations not trust
ing each other enough than from
their trusting each other too much.
A press which is given over to a mar
row and bigoted nationalism, ac-
companied by Misrepresentation of
other countries, not only nisinforms
and misleads the people at home but
produces the reaction of a ranking
abroad. An almost equally
harmful attitude is the other ex-
IRENE. 1t usually consists Of mali
cious and misleading partisan at
tacks on the conduct of our own
Government in it's efforts to defend
rights when they are
threatened or invaded in foreign
countries.
Too Easy Going
Our Government has usually been
too remiss, rather than too active,
In supporting the lawful rights of
its citizens abroad. That has been
so long our established policy that
it is rather difficult to conceive It
assuming a truculent and arrogant
But when it is proceeding
with moderation, attempting by
peaceful negotiation to adjust differ
ences, defending the rights of It's
citizens, ad maintaining national dig
nifty, great care is necessary to give
the public the exact facts and avoid
the appearance of seeming to SUD-
port the position of foreign govern
comes known in the offending coun-
try, it is widely quoted there and,
when all other arguments have been
answered, becomes their chief reli-
ance for maintaining their position.
1t not only furnishes ammunition for
our adversaries, but attacks our own
forces In the rear. An American
press which has all the privileges
which it enjoys under our institu-
tons, and which derives It's support
from the progress and well-being of
our people, ought to be first of all
thoroughly American.
Progress and civilization have al.
ways depended upon effort and sacri-
flee. We have set up our institu-
lions, established our ideals, and
adopted our social standards. We
believe that they are consistent with
right and truth and justice. We live
under system that guarantees the
sanctity of life and liberty through
public order and protects the rights
of private property under the princi-
pie of due process of law. We have
thrown every possible safeguard
around the individual in order to
protect him from any invasion of
his rights even by the Government
itself. 1t is peculiarly an American
doctrine, now usually accepted in
principle If not adopted in practice
by all civilized countries, that these
are inalienable rights, that they
ought to belong to all persons every
where, and that it is the chief func-
ton of government to provide in
strumentalities by which these rights
can be secured and protected We
have adopted these ideals because we
believe that they are of universal ap-
PliCfitlOii ciIlu Win LIlC CIeEIlII
principles of right. But we may as
we'll realize that they will continue
to prevail unless we are prepared
constantly to put forth great efforts
and make large sacrifices for their
support.
Backers of Freedom
J While we have not been willing to
assume any general attitude of cru
sading toward other nations, and
realizing that institutions can not be
bestowed but must be adopted have
left them for the most part secure in
their right to work out their own
destiny, yet we have always been
willing to encourage and assist, in so
far as we could in harmony with in
ternational law and custom, other
people in securing for themselves the
benefit of these principles and ideals.
In that conflict between freedom and
depotism, which~is as old az human
ity, and which constantly recurs in