The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-04-25

uncorporated)
CHICAGO Ss'n'''' s e; T's goa s:'n' g sosros
Splendid Isolation
England and the United states-mother and child
have always had one thought in common and that was
that each nurtured the illusion of s~olation-splendid
isolation, in fact.
ENGLAND was 80 convinced that splendid isolation was
its birthright that even now it Is rallying to that tradi-
ton In opposition to boring q tunnel to France under the
channel. Nevertheless there has never been q time when
England was not more or less allied with some other por-
tion Of Europe and not isolated at all-especially when q
war was on. In the World war the English isles fought
with the allies against Germany. yet In the Napoleonic
wars they fought under the Iron Duke against France
ia alliance with Germany. led by Butcher. In the Grim
can war they fought with France against Russia, then IN
tho World war Russia, England and France were allied
against the central powers.
we. too. have falsely congratulated ourselves on our
isolation. but since the sp-anish-American war this has
been q fiction. The World war swept away nearly every
vestige Of the fiction even. We have begun to realize that
nations need not be allied In war to be Joined by common
bonds Commerce and finance have made us kin IN bus.
iness Is ne are in language and historical tradition with
Britain principally, with Germany largely and with
France in sentiment inherited from the alliance OF the
colonies and the kingdom Of Louis during the American
Revolution. Only the isolation Of an ocean over which
steamers easily ply and over which Lindbergh has shown
It not impossible to fly, while boats even smaller than
the caravels Of Columbus have made voyages safely across
the Atlantic-only this barrier to geographical intimacy
exists.
No, we are not isolated. We are not even unentangled.
Consider the heritages OF the World Wharf.-The war debts,
the efforts to work with Europe on projects OF peace, Is
the naval limitations conference, the proposal to enter
the world court Of international justice. Where Is there
isolation there?
The isolation we want is the isolation Of neutrality
not to Join with Europe as a drawer Of water and newer
Of wood in the eternal controversies and feuds and
strifes of that quarrel-ridden continent.
Just now the flag Of isolation is being run to the mast
head once more. Ruth Hanna McCormick's victory In
the Republican senatorial primary in Illinois, where she
based her campaign on opposition to the World court.
IS helping the cause along. We are being urged, Is OF
old, to tend strictly to our knitting and let the rest OF
mankind get along as best it can; for all European ma
lions, as everybody knows, are grasping and predatory,
Conniving for our downfall.
Since the issue evidently is going to be with US for q
while. it might pay to examine this isolation Of ours and
see just how much it amounts to. There are two or three
pertinent facts for us to consider.
First Of all, American delegates have just finished
making agreements with the representatives Of other
nations, at London, for q general limitation OF naval
ornaments. This was done because all hands agreed
that there was altogether too much chance Of another
war coming to birth in the near future; and while q
European war might not seem to concern us much. it is
just possible that somebody in Washington remembered
that 100000 American soldiers had to go to France .
decade ago because q Serbian plotter shot the heir to the
Austrian throne.
Then. in New York, we have one Or. Eckener Of Ger
many making arrangements with American financiers
for . transatlantic Zeppelin line. to lop . couple Of days
off the distance between the new world and the old and
cut our isolation down still further.
In addition. . New York business forecasting house re-
marks that it is useless to expect this country to regain
fun prosperity until England ana other European coun-
tries get on their feet again-since our prosperity depends
more and more on European purchases Of our exports.
II Europe remains unable to buy as much Is our factories
can send abroad. our prosperity win continue to lag. The
factory hand IN Detroit O. Pittsburgh has : direct and
~tntinnate concern II the industrial conditions in Man
chester and Hamburg
Those IRE . few things to consider in connection with
pnr tradtttonal isolation. Think them over and you may
begin to wonder y there y any such thing - isolation IN
this modeEn world. Much Is We might like to let the rest
ct tie wosid 90 b. It may be that the day when We could
70 that has gons-sorsver.