Evening star., 1932-12-25
Liquidation of World War Is Seen
Task to Be Faced by New President

nation will, without warning or nego-
tiation, frustrate the plans which other
nations have made for acting co-opera-
lively to restrain possible aggressors
from breaking the peace. It is one
thing to reserve freedom of judgment
and eventual freedom Of action; 1t IS
quite another thing to refuse to behave
as a responsible sovereign member OF
the world society, willing and anxious
to discuss frankly whether or not
certain proposed international action
comedies with our interests and will
help to preserve peace.
Interest in Manchuria.
One Of the principal preoccupations
Of our Government in recent months
has been the situation in the Far East.
The United States has a double interest
first interest is In maintaining the
sanctity Of treaties, which is merely
part of the general question Of main
tanning international peace. Its Sec
ond interest is to uphold the traditional
policy OF the open door" On this
second point the policy OF our Gov
ernmcnt is subject to negotiation IN the
light of changes in the general world
situation, and. in particular. of changes
in the situation in the Far East. The
principle enunciated by Secretary
Stimson last Summer looks either to
return to the status quo ante through
powers directly party to the Manchur-
ian dispute, or else to the settlement
of outstanding questions by direct ne
gotiation between those powers under
the auspices of the League of Nations
If the second course can be success
fully pursued, so that the dispute is
dissolved by direct negotiation with
out further blcodshed. the real aim
of the American people will have been
achieved. the power OF the Kellogg pact
will have been vindicated. and the
world will have cause to be well salts
fed
Nations. like individuals. are subject
to moods; AND d,. IN both a cases aHiy
retaliation. Prosperity is not In itself
hateful. But arrogance, the conscious
pride of wealth. refusal to recognize
the responsibilities that go with power.
are universally diSiikcd in individuals
and are in the end re5uked. We have
discovered lately that nations are not
exempt from this law. Because OF our
happy geographical position and vast
natural resources, we long felt immune
from the rules which older nations
found 1t useful to obcerve in interna-
tional intercourse. We did not recog-
nize that wealth and power are apt to
engender envy, and that the possessor
of them must show an unusual degree
of fairness and consideration in all his
dealings.
"All in One Boat"
There Is something else to be said
on this point, however. In the postwar
decade the world got the impression
that American springs Of wealth were
exhaustless. In the same way that the
American people have got to under
stand that the nations of the world
are all in one boat" the peoples CT
other lands will have to realize that
pictures of fabulous and everlasting
prosperity in the United States were
unreal and misleading. Our budget was
nearly $1,000, 100000 out Of balance
this year, and will be perhaps S200O,-
100000 cut next year The duty Of
taking account of another nations re-
sources and capacities does not fall on
the United States alone,
Throughout this brief article have
stressed the spirit which will prevail
during the Roosevelt administration
rather than make en- attempt to fore
cast the details of Mr. Rooscvelt's prob
able policies. That is because a new
deal" in the spirit of our foreign policy
is all-important Abroad as we'll as at
home there is qualification over tn
prospect. The belief that under Mr.
Roosevelt our foreign policy will be
generous and humane is we'll founded
We shall not shirk our responsibilities.
Coercion, material or moral. will not
be used to enforce our will in settling
any straightforward and honest differ
ence of opinion. But while we shall
extend justice, We shall also demand it.
w, shall try to make what is right
what Is fair the standard of our con-
duct; and We shall insist that others
hold to the same standard in all their
dealings touching the safety and we'll
being Of the American people.