The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-11-02
This Foreign Propaganda

1t would be a serious matter"
Japan's new minister to Sweden
Shiratori asserted bluntly on his way
across CANADA. Anything America
may do to strengthen Russia's eco
nomic position is a blow at Nippon
as far as Japan Is concerned.
Already, too, there is talk in Great
Britain of a renewal of the old An
gloJapaneSe alliance which, British
tories never tire of repeating, was
denounced at the time of the Wash
ington conference of 1921 only to
please the Americans
Foreign propaganda even goes so
far as to use the word alliance" in
connection with the expected change
of relations between this country
and RUSSIA thoroughly absurd in
timation which apparently is made
for whatever effect it may have on
japanese American relations.
Roosevelt Must Go on
All this is due to the fact that
the United States waited sixteen
years before reopening negotiations
with the Soviet Union. Had the
JefferSonian principle governing
recognition never been abandoned
for one which used recognition as
a political club to influence the do
nestle policies of foreign govern
ments, the rapprochement between
Russia and America would have
been accepted abroad as a matter of
course.
AS it is, President RooseveIt's
message to Moscow created an in
ternationaI sensation. But since he
can not turn the clock back. he
must go on.
Jefferson's policy was to extend
recognition to any de facto govern
ment which was able to maintain
order without undue force and
which seemed to represent the will
OF the people. AS secretary of state
in 1893, he promptly extended
recognition to the French republic
after as bloody a revolution as
modern history records.
Wilson Changed System
I'VE surely can not deny to anv
nation he said at the time, that
right wherein our own government
is founded. Every one may govern
Itself according to whatever form it
pleases and change these forms at
its own will
1t may transact its business with
foreign nations through whichever
organ 1t thinks proper, whatever
king. convention, assembly, commit
tee, President or anything else it
may choose. The will of the nation
is the only thing essential to be re-
garded."
Because of the frequent revolts in
Mexico and Central America. how
ever. President Wilson set up a new
policy. He hoped thereby to dis
courage revolutions. In 1913 he re-
fused to recognize the Huerta gov
eminent of Mexico on the ground
that it got into power by force.
Since that time Washington. more
or less, has followed this course.
Back to Old Order
Now, apparently. there is to be
another reorientation. President
Roosevelt is believed to be on the
point of returning to the old order.
For despite reams of words to the
contrary. the United States, in COM
mon with other powers, has regard
ed recognition merely as a means
OF opening up necessary channels
of communication with other gov
ernmentS. Without it the United
States severely handicaps itself.
At bottom, self-interest has al
ways been the principal yardstick
applied to recognition. Theodore
Roosevelt recognized the Republic
of Panama in 1908 less than seven
ty-two hours after independence
was proclaimed-by the municipal
council Of the city of Panama.
President Wilson recognized the gov
ornment of Prince Lvov. at Petro-
grad, in 1917. within one week after
it had overthrown Car Nicholas II.
However wrong this government
may have felt the political and re-
ligious beliefs of other governments
and peoples to be, it has not been
its policy TO refuse recognition on
that account.
The United States today recog-
nizes absolute relationships, mon
arches and republics. 1t recognizes
countries which do not believe in
God, and countries which allow plu-
raj wives and husband and some
which tolerate slavery.