The Bismarck tribune., 1935-04-11
With other ;;:;':.;: {: s.; !:
may not
agree with
them.
Eighteen Years After
(Minneapolia Trihunel

The anniversary OF our entry into the World War
% l,nas Europe once more preparing for war and this
country poorly prepared either for war or peace Just
Is In 1917 the rank and file Of the people of the United
States are today firm in their conviction that no matter
Our failure to do 8 years ago. while its implications
are being ignored by many raises disconcerting
doubts in the minds of the thoughtful to whether
we would be able to escape involvement in European
war of long duration.
The manner in which we were drawn into the last
war first by financial and political stake in the
Allied cause and second BY belief that essential stce
and the future of free institutions were bound up with
the Allied cause. has taught little. Although
OF the war which we helped prosecute emerged from
It nation with broader interest in the world balance
OF power than we had when we entered It.
Having acquired this larger interest," we have been
largely ineffective IN organizing unified foreign policy
or IN making our influence felt In determining the course
OF events likely to affect that interest Whether We
would have been any better off ana whether world peace
would have profited from adherence to the League
OF Nations IN 1920 is point that will be debated for
generation The fact remains that have not yet been
able to come to terms with the principal powers in any
o. their abortive attempts to construct workable peace
Without too much serious thought as to the probable
joining the rest Of the world today
IN an armament race Despite the fact that our own
budget Is badly unbalanced and that We have no well
organized foreign policy which would give program
purpose We are proposing to spend billion dollars for
araments in the coming fiscal The effect Of these
acts on the rest Of the world Is but little considered IN
congress
While less interested in the retention Of the
the fact remains that those powers which should Be our
allies IN IN effort to maintain are vitality interested
" preventing any violent changes in the balance q pow
has been for two decades Of the principal stumbling
blocks to effective cooperation between this country and
the rest OF Europe This Is particularly true IN the cas-
Of Great Britain. In their broader aims the United
States and Great Britain not far removed nom each
oeher yet the immediate interests Of the British are
such that we cannot way clear to Join them. In
IN 1ar e1s where war n the not 1ar distant future =
no sss likely than 1t Il in Europe. our policies ars fas
from clear.
We are to remain out Of the next war; II It comes
apparent that America viii have - eoooo - cot1o
now. Certainly It viii have to make up it, mind wlat
wants II the far east well make ~ position clooe
1ps. We must also take those steps necsssaty 8
home to prevent our Involvement through money, goods
and afuaments II another European Wal. W le9yo
our own nationals Ia position to involve q n va,
70 can hardly AVOID drifting into one sl1odd dsvsle
0t H ~ decde 70 Isolate otHseve - fas - that =
poo1ble. n the event Of war, need not forget tt
sacrifices win have to be made and that even when te
have been made " may stn not be able 70 hold ON
po1iti0n q neutrality indefinitely.