Evening star., 1931-12-23
Enlightenment Held
Need in World Affairs
To the Editor OF The Star:

l
| tional affairs, where true opinion exists,
| seems clearly divided into nationalsts
| and internationalists. The nationalists
insist that the United States must pur-
| sue a policy strictly its own; that it is
already far too embroiled in world prob
lens: that 1t should look to the main
tenance OF more adequate defense; that
| 1t should return to policy of isolation
| The internationalists plead for further
| United States participation in world
| organiZation--entry into the World
| Court, full cooperation with the League
| tf not membership, active leadership
in world disarmament and cooperation
In reduction Gf not cancellation) of war
debts and reparationS
few moments of conversation re-
veal the average intelligent citizen to
| possess one or the other of two funda-
mental attitudes. He either deplores
our large Army and Navy budgets or
cites our needs for greater defense: he
| condemns the Hoover moratorium or
ne urges that the United States assume
the leadership Of the world in restor-
ing economic prosperity: he points to
tne Wof!d Court as drawing us into a
| Whirlpool OF European intrigue which
VIII crush our national honor and in
dependence or he points to Geneva and
Ihe Hague as the centerS of a new age
ci international understanding. The
newspapers furnish adequate material
| 10 the bolStering OF these opinions:
peace ana security organizations instill
INTO their followers the doctrines of
Ilnternationalism or nationalisn as the
case may be. The nationalists call
themselves "realists" and point to their
| opponents as sentimental visionaries:
the proponents of world organization
taik ABOUT pngolstS, "blg-Navy men,"
leactlonarles and dwell long upon the
evils OF nationalism and militarism.
! The Manchurian crisis has dealt a
crushing blow to existing peace ma
chlnery. The League of Nations has
been frankly impotent in the face OF
crisis. The recent decision of the World
! Court IN regard to German -AuStri n
AnSchluss (an obviously political de-
clSlon) has reduced the prestige of that
court and will cOntribut. to the almost
| certain action OF the Senate ag inst
American adherence. The Kellogg pact
mas 1alled to stop war. 1t is, therefore.
an auSpiclous moment for the opponents
OF world peace organization to b little
the effectiveness Of international CO.
operation to urge increases in military
budgets, to play up foreign "menaces. :"
to insist that We stay out" of world
affairs
1t should be possible to reach a sane
middle ground between two such di-
VeTgent attitudes. Can We not still be
| 'reallsts' and at the same time en-
courage every int irrational effort to-
ward the elimination Of oIglniZed
butchery as method OF settling dis
putes, While We sneer at the League
for its present failure ,and there are
those who say the situation might have
have been worse had there been no
League We OF the United States must
assume ourselves great responsibility
for that failure. Had We added our
word to the League in a demand that
existing treaties and p cts be observed
the Manchurian situation might have
taken a differ Mt pace III the his:orv
OF our times. Courage was needed to
prove international agreements to be
more than "plouS hopes TIL failure
Of that courage does not imply the
Worthlessness Of international co-Opera-
ton.
Thinking people laugh at the vacil-
lating League, the poor pigeon-hol
Pact for the Remuneration Of War"
and the sorry World Court. They as
stIme the Il told you So attitude and
point to former expressions Of theirs
which doubted the seriousness of such
! al IutdS- Is lIlc IdCL lIldI
peace machinery has failed to settle
international disputes sufficient cause
for its discard? Shall We revert i'm
mediately to competition iii armaments.
to militarism, to secret diplomacy. to
war? Should We not rather exert ever
more gigantic efforts 10 make peace
machinery effective? We cannot eX-
pect Utopia. and it is foolish to sit
serenely with benign cOuntenance.
dreaming that war has been abolished
via Kellogg BRAND pact But it is also
wrong to say that the!e is no good in
international cooperation, that treaties
are scraps OF paper and disarmament
conferences futile gatherings Of Machia-
vellian diplomats and admirals
The responsibility falls heavily upon
us There are no formulae no pana-
Ceas which will cure world ills in 10.
20, 50-a hundred years. perhaps An
enlightened public opinion is needed
one which Is not blinded to facts, but
one which will encourage every pro-
gressive move toward world co-opera-
ton. No good is done by sneering at
international conferences and agree
ments. Steady, continued effort. the
facts before us, illusions swept aside.
answering progress toward the gcal of
world peace-this should be the pro-
gram of every government. If it should
take thousand years, the result would
be worth the effort For otherwise
there will be chaos
JOHN K. EMMERSON.
|