Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-12-24

to further in every possible way the
education of our people in the
processes Of self-government. The
necessity for such education cannot
be overemphasized. Freedom is
the soil from which peace springs.
From the institutions of a free
people arise those conditions of
stability Of governments so essen
tial for the preservation of peace.
Therefore we are joined in COM
mon determination to make our
countries safe for peace.
There Is no need for this con-
ception to be limited to the Ameri-
can nations. There is an impera-
tive necessity for its immediate
worldwide application.
Cites Value Of Sessions.
Surely the time has come for
every nation of the world to take
inventory and to examine its own
purpose and policies. Like indi-
viduals. nations must learn to for
give and forget the injuries done
them by fellow nations. And in
contemplating the future peace and
welfare Of humanity. we can and
must speak in q spirit of entire
friendliness to all nations and all
peoples Of today.
Democracies today are free to
express the desire Of all peoples for
peace. While favoring the MAIN
tenance Of q military power ade-
quate to guard their security and
to protect their national interest
against aggression, they continue to
work for peace by every practical
means. They believe that future
peace can be assured by the de-
velopment of public opinion every
where that will utterly repudiate
the acts and utterances Of states
men propagating doctrines of
militarism.
We conceive modern civilization
to be incompatible with war. 1t
follows that policy that contem-
plates frequent wars and decries the
possibility Of prolonged peace Is in
its practical effects a policy highly
conducive to war. It merely pro-
vides breathing spell for prep
aration for war. This philosophy
would destroy the spirit of all peace.
It would merely give an armistice
during which ornaments are built
up, soldiers are trained, munition
dumps are filled, economic ma
chinery is perverted to the uses of
future war. This philosophy and
these portentous conditions I'M
fortunately prevail in many parts
Of the world today. These are con-
ditions which breed war. They do
not foster peace
Why should statesmen, looking
only to the past. insist that war is
inevitable? If history shows that
wars have been frequent, it like
wise shows that enlightened states.
nanship could have prevented most
Of them. War Is not an act of God,
but q crime of man. War is some
thing that is provoked by evil pas
sions. Hate, fear. greed, vainglory.
the lust Of power; these are the
progenitors Of war. If peoples toler-
ated war in the past it has become
impossible for them to do so any
longer. For the instruments of de-
struction which have been invented
are now so devastating In their
effects that compromise with them
is no longer possible. To attempt
to humanize war Is to attempt the
impossible. We must destroy war
or war will destroy us. I do not
believe that peoples will passively
accept the conclusion that because
men since time immemorial have
died on battlefields, they have no
choice but to continue to die on
battlefields In the future.
Denies War Is Inevitable.
The free peoples of the world
have come to reject the theory that
was Ii natural and inevitable. They
are no longer thrilled by the
panoply of the militarists, nor are
they carried away by the hysteria
Of propaganda for war. They know
that the love Of power is q thing of
evil. They would cry Halt" to any
who. through love Of power. would
break the peace. Glory Is not to be
achieved BY the march of armies
and the death Of men.
Those who sit in the masters
seats and shape the destinies Of
other men are under the most i'm
perative of mandates to leave no
course which may avoid war unex-
plored. The real patriots and the
real heroes Of the future will be the
leaders who md and follow the
road to peace.
keenly feel that. in our labors
here, We have done more than to
coordinate the machinery to pre-
serve the peace Of our own reprb-
lies. I cannot emphasize too
strongly that we are In no sense
moving toward q policy Of CONT
mental isolation. We are not lured
by the mirage Of self-containment;
We are aware Of It's pitfalls. In
close-knit interdependent world,
W zee the folly Of seeking to build
. Chinese wall around q hemi-
sphers. Our purpose Is not to iso-