Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-24
CONTINUED From First Page.)

SibilitieS OF Office. Craftsmanship Is no
In itself an attribute of Office, but al
attribute of mind. It is the ability tt
see things whole, to measure justly thu
counterplay of all the varied interest!
which concentrate in any major problem
Of society, and then to state the funda'
mental elements of that problem 81
clearly as to make other people under
stand. The difference between the poll.
tician and the statesman is simply this
That the politician studies only polite:
and the statesman studies what lie:
behind.
What Leadership Demands.
Therefore, even in retirement from
Office the statesman may continue tc
operate effectively. 1t is fortunate fol
a democracy that this should be so, fol
otherwise it would lose the contribution
of its elder statesmen. Leadership iI1
practical politics demands such con-
tinuous and unremitting energy as only
those can furnish who have still IN
middle life a reserve of youthful energy
The days routine is absorbing and ex-
hausting. But there is another approach
to policy than through that confusing
spectacle of moving current OF events
which changes from day to day. The
experienced statesman sees beyond THESE
to the fundamentals, either of structure
or of function, not ignoring detail, as in
the case of the visionary but knowing
how to use and subordinate 1t.
This is the distinctive quality OF Mr..
Roots work. whether in Office or in
directing the policies of great founda-
lions or of other national organizations.
He has always insisted upon that kind
of action which would go to the heart
of a problem.
If there was to be reform in the
legal system of the country, it should
be thorough going and far-reaching. II
the Carnegie Endowment for Interna-
tional Peace was to study the nature OF
war in order to correct amateurish and
sentimental views, Mr. Root, as preSi-
dent of the organization, proposed a
survey that would reach into every
phase of the economic and social eff
fects of the war upon European ma
lions. A similar interest is seen in his
handling of the proposals for adult edu-
cation and for city planning. The care
and foresight Is not that Of purely legal
training, but is combined with the pa
thence of the scientific method. Above
all, there is a sense Of the possibility
of continued betterment in world that
Is growing clVlnzeu.
Faces Great Difficulties.
It is because of such craftsmanship
IN the sphere Of liberty" that the pop
ular interest in the present journey of
Mr.. Root to Europe is more than a
passing interest in the event itself. But
the confidence in Mr.. Roots success
which rests upon his achievements in
the past is tempered by sense of the
great difflculty of the task which he
has undertaken. He must now work
out q revision Of that very statute OF
the court. Of which he, himself, was
chief architect.
The Senate's reservations still stand
as the last word of American official
action, although the attitude of the
Executive has been more friendly and
more hopeful. The other nations have
not been able to accept the most serious
of the American conditions and, so far
as the world knows, the situation which
confronts the negotiators in Geneva has
not undergone any recent change.
Just how Mr.. Root proposes to meet
this difficulty is not matter TO be dis
cuSsed here. 1t would be as improper
as 1t is absurd to attempt to anticipate
the technical solution which he may
undertake to secure. But while we are
assured of competence in negotiation,
we have no guarantee as yet that there
viii be equal competence In the forma-
ton of public opinion in the United
states, to which the solution viii be
referred for final acceptance or re-
lection.
international Dealing.
There are two procedures in interna-
taonal deaiing-the technical work OF
agreement, and the subsequent accept
aTice Of it on the part OF the nations
involved. Our country has not learned
to put the same measure Of care into
both these procedures. On the con-
trary, we have been willing to allow the
work of the greatest jurist to be judged
in terms of purest demagoguery.
I recall striking instance OF this IN
the early course Of the controversy over
the World Court. Along the roadsideS
of a Middle western State there were
huge signboards with some such legend
as this: "Vote for -. He Is not for
World Court which would send our boys
abroad again to fight another European
war" The majority which this candi-
date secured in the senatorial primaries
shows what can be done by an utterly
INSCRIPTIONS appeal to the most ele-
mentary of human interests.
What this country wants most to
avoid is being drawn into the wars of
other countries. Any solution which
would imply a danger in that regard
was good election cry, and to the I'M
trained mind any permanent connec-
ton with other countries seemed to SAVIOR
Of involvement, especially il that connec-
ton brought up in any way the League
Of Nations. for the League has been
presented to the country in the past as
the supreme instance of foreign en-
tanglement. There was, therefore, an In
Stinctive, If not rational, line OF con-
nection between the World Court and
foreign ENHANCEMENT upon which the
demagogue could play If he were suffi-
GENTLY INSCRIPTIONS In his use Of the
solution.
Now 1t is Just this kind of misinfor-
nation which Is called upon, in the
mysterious workings Of a democracy, to
be the Judge in the last resort Of the
work which Mr.. Root is now undertake
ing. II, therefore, the country would
show the first elements of appreciation
Of that work, there should be an effort
he Is making abroad to understand the
elements of the problem itself, to dis
lodge demagoguery and face the real
issue with genuine patriotism.
Setting Has Changed.
Fortunately, however, the setting OF
the problem in the United States has
changed considerably with the ratifica-
ton of the Kellogg BRAND treaty. The
United States Is no longer free to settle
all disputes arising in the sphere OF
policy-and that means practically ali
disputes-by pacific means.
The Nation is not yet fully aware Of
the seriousness of this commitment
Politicians still talk in the same terms
as though no such commitment had
been made. But the honor of the coun.
try demands that the pacific means
Of settlement be made ready for the
hour OF crisis, Just as definitely as
ARMY and NAVY should be rrenared tr