Evening star., 1933-07-16
u. s. ADOPTS NATIONALISM
AS WORLD VENTURE FAILS
Participation in European Affairs Since
War Unsuccessful From Both For.
eign and Domestic standpoint.

while the British hand was more or
less concealed, the British position has
been far nearer to the French than to
the American.
Fifteen years Of experience, Illus
trated by the debt. disarmament and
economic questions seem 10 demon
strate quite clearly that under existing
circumstances and in the present state
of mind On either side of the Atlantic
effective cooperation is impossible.
We have steadily urged Europe to
adopt American views, and Europe, with
equal consistency, has sought to convert
us to Old World conceptions.
The consequence has been obvious.
We have had long periods of deadlock
and recurring spells of acute collision
and both have been inevitably marked
by bitterness and resentment. At
home and abroad there has been the
same erdeavor to read into the action
Of the respective nations bad faith,
narrow selflShneSs and complete blind
ness. But the truth has always been
that two sets Of people. living under
totally different conditions, have mis-
understood each other.
For myself 1 welcome the break
down in London for variety Of rea-
sons. First of all, it seems to me 10
put an end to the long period in which
irreconcilable differences were dis
gulsed by solemn pretense that while
positive action was Vsibly not being
achieved. behind the scene much was
being arranged. That has been the
, curse of the whole disarmament affair,
for what has ever been in collision has
been two essentially irrecCncilable
theses and all attempts to disguise this
fact merely prolonged disagreeable
and even dangerous controversy
We have now had clearly indicated
in London the fundamental fact that
American and European interests are
at the moment immensely difficult OF
adjustment. Europe is unwilling TO
sacrifice its essential interests; we are
in the same state of mind. We know
now where We stand. and We can pro-
ceed on a basis of realistic apprecia-'
ton OF what exists. Debt default, dis
armament collapse, the object lesson
Of London in the matter Of finance
and econOmicS-these incidents must
serve to exercise the pretense that IT.
ternationalism is just around the corner
and the world as a result of the war
had became a unit, economically, po-
litically and morally.
Nationalism Inevitable.
Inevitably we are in for period
of natiCnalism. both economic and pc
ltical and inescapably it Will be
marked by measure of suspicion and
even Of animosity. But I do not b.
lieve it will in the end prove rcra
unfortunate than the long phase Cf
real but disguised incompatib.lty
which is now ended. On the contrary.
it NAV well clear the air. as cid the
Coolidge conference at Geneva wlic-s
broke down so fatty, by making PC
sib,e an adjustment of Anglo -Amerlc
l,;- +ait
Plainly the new deal must now p
duce a new foreign policy Obviou >
that new foreign policy will have to g
predicated upon nationaEslc lnte.-
pretation Of the economic. financial ana
political interests CT the United StateS-
1t may then have to drop even the
smallest attempt to combine lntern9-
tional pretenseS with purely national
istic principles. That, in my view, mas
been the fatal weakness OF the course
of the successors of Woodrow Wilson,
who sought to have it both ways en-
listing the support of the ideallsts VINO
followed him while retaining the ap-
proval of the nationalistlc elements
who destroyed his program.
What one must hope from Mr.. RooSe-
welt is that he will follow the lines
which are now laid down without any
attempt to enlist the support OF the
thoughtless by appealing to preJuo!ces
and emotions which are obvious put
unattractive. The truth IS that We
have rejected the idea of international
cooperation on the basis OF certain for
eign proposals because of domestic m
terests both real and evident. For lden-
tical reasons the foreign nations nave
rejected our proposals.
We have been clumsy in our methoo.
We have in this way invited criticism.
! East and West in my Judgment. 1t
will be discovered by majority OF our
people that the United States has real
interests that are international, ana
must be served in consultation and CO.
operation with other countries and on
that basis We shall enter international
discussions BY that time. too, 1t Is
fair to hope that We shall have deVel.
oped a State Department capable OF
dealing with these issues and have an
administration willing to employ ma
chinery which Europe uses so eftec-
lively
Thus We shall not again be treated
to the spectacle. so familiar IN recent
years, of American delegations made up
of men attending their first conference
and stated largely by volunteers dong
business with European statesmen ana
diplomats whose life is largely made
up of a ceaseless pilgrimage from one
international meeting to another. For
London has been not alone the reducuo
ad absurdum of American participation
in international conferences. but also OF
the habit Of sending hastily assembled
recruits to face veteran force OF pro-
fessional diplomats.