Evening star., 1939-02-21
Administration Policy
OF Practical Defense
Upheld by Pittman
Senate Foreign Relations
Chairman, in Forum
Speech, Hits Fear

Senator Key Pittman of Nevada,
chairman Of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, spoke last
night on Our Foreign Policy" in
the National Radio Forum, arranged
by The Star and broadcast over q
Nationwide network of the Ma
tional Broadcasting Co. The text
Of his address follows:
am here tonight by invitation
Of the National Radio Forum, spon-
sored by The Washington Evening
Star, to discuss the subject-"Our
Foreign Policy" 1t is the most
vital question now pending for de-
termination by the American peo-
pie and their Congress.
1t will be unfortunate, indeed, for
the future safety and welfare of our
country if our citizens fail to give
substantial support to their Gov
ernment in the administration of
our foreign policy. This support
will not be obtained unless our citi-
zens study the fundamental prin-
ciples underlying the policy. and
are not distracted in their thoughts
and actions by local situations, race
prejudices, political partisanship
demagoguery, or propaganda sus-
picion aroused by inf1ammatory
headlines with regard to insignifl-
cant incidents.
There are only four fundamental
foreign policies of governments
These policies may be stated as
follows:
l. A policy based upon conquest
Of territory and domination of the
lives of the nationals of other
nations through military force or
the threat of the use of military
force.
2. The policy of appeasement.
g. The policy of defense. This
policy includes the protection of a
Country's territory, and the rights
OF its nationals throughout the uni
verse. 1t holds that such protection
shall be accomplished, first, through
every established. peaceful instru-
mentality: second. through every
legal resistance to encroachments
upon the integrity of nations ter
ritory and the rights of its nation
ais; and third and lastly, through
the use of physical force if every
other means has failed, to success
fully defend its territory and the
rights of its nationals.
Fourth Policy Is Isolation.
4. The last of the four policies,
which some governments have prac-
ticed, is the policy of isolation.
I shall very briefly discuss, first,
this latter policy, as, unfortunately,
in spite of the history of its uniform
puerility, it is urged by some of our
citizens-even by men and women
Of prominence.
The people of a country, through
their government. can isolate them
selves for time by refraining from
taking any part in world affairs.
They cannot. however, by this ac-
ton impose isolation upon any other
country, nor can they prevent any
other country from violating their
isolation. We have so many recent
examples of peoples and their gov
ernments attempting to protect
their territory and their peace and
safety through the doctrine of isola-
ton that the impracticability of
the policy is self-evident.
Austria, since the World War.
adopted and practiced policy of
isolation. Behold Austria! Ethi-
opia practiced the policy of isola-
ton. Note the condition Of Ethi-
opia. Czecho-Slovakia under the
rules of the League of Nations,
practiced the policy of isolation
-Slovakia,s territory has been
divided up, its government destroyed
and its spirit of democracy annihi-
lated! Witness China. No people
and no government ever practiced
more sincerely the doctrine of iso-
lation! They interfered with no
other government and no other peo-
pie. They made no preparation for
defense, relying upon their peaceful
attitude, the treaty promises of other
governments and their pronounced
and practiced policy of isolation.
Let us now return to the policy
OF conquest and domination through
military force and the threat of the
use Of military force. This policy
has been adopted and is now being
practiced by the governments of
Germany, Italy and Japan, three of
the most powerful military govern
ments in the world. These govern
ments are absolutely controlled by
arbitrary and ruthless dictators:
Germany by Hitler, Italy by Musso-
1ini and Japan by small military
clique.
Statements Serve as Guide.
What are the intentions of these
military dictators? Do their policies
constitute any threat to the safety
Of the United States? We can only
determine these questions by a
study of the statements and the &C
tions of these military dictators
Time does not permit me to read
the numerous statements of these
dictators. They have been pub
lished time and again. They have
all ridiculed democratic forms of
government. They have even pitied
our people in the United States be-
cause, as they allege, our Govern
ment is too weak and cowardly not
only to protect our citizens and our
institutions from abroad, but even
to protect our peaceful citizens from
1awlessness at home. They have de-
fed the League of Nations, the nine
power treaty and every instrument
tality that governments have set up
to protect the integrity and the
rights of small governments against
unjust domination and conquest and
Tor the preservation of peace among
all nations.
The statement does not require
confirmation to those who read.
Great Britain and France urged
that there should be arbitration
with regard to the Sudetenland,
Was this agreed to? No. Hitler
had 100000 soldiers on the border
OF Czecho-Slovakia He had more
airplanes than France and Great
@--1A