The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1943-12-02

Abstract of Address of the Hon. Cor
dell Hull, Secretary of State, to a
joint meeting of Congress on No
vember IS, 1913.
The Moscow Conference is believed
to have been an important step in the
direction both of shortening the war
and of making provisions for the flu
ture. 1t has never been my fortune to
attend an international conference at
which there was greater determina-
ton on the part of all the participants
to move forward in a spirit of mutual
understanding and confidence. Impor-
tant agreements were reached, but
there were no secret agreements, and
none were suggested.
The attention of the Conference was
centered upon the task of making sure
that the nations upon whose armed
forces and civilian efforts rests the
main responsibility for defeating the
enemy will, along with other peace
fully-minded nations, continue to per-
form their full part in solving the num-
erous and veXatious problems of the
future. From the outset, the dominant
thought Of the Conference was that,
after the attainment of victory, coop
GRAFTON among peace-loving nations
in support of certain paramount mu-
tual interests will be almost as COM
polling in importance and necessity
as it is today in support of the war
effort.
To this end, the four governments
declared that they recognize the ne
cessity of establishing at the earliest
practicable date a general interna-
tional organization, based on the prin-
ciple Of the sovereign equality of all
peace-loving states and open to mem
bership by all other states, large and
small" | should like to lay particu-
lar stress on this provision of the
Declaration. The principle of sover-
eign equality of all peace-loving
states, irrespective Of size or strength,
as partners in a future system of gen
eral security will be the foundation
stone upon which the future interna-
tional organization will be constructed.
The adoption of this principle was
particularly welcome to US. Nowhere
has the conception Of sovereign equal
lty been applied more widely in recent
years than in the American family
of nations, whose contribution to the
common effort in wartime will now be
followed by representation in building
the institutions of peace As the pro-
visions Of the four-nation declaration
are carried into effect, there will no
longer be need for spheres of infIu-
ence, for alliances, for balance of
power or any other of the special ar
engagements through which, in the un-
happy past, the nations strove to
safeguard their security or to pro-
mote their interests.
The Conference also served as an
occasion for a solemn public declara-
! ton by the heads Of the three govern
mentS with regard to the perpetrators
Of the beStial and abominable crimes
committed by the Nazi leaders against
the harassed and prosecuted inhabi-
/ tants Of occupied against
people of all races and religions,
among whom Hitler has reserved for
the Jews his most brutal wrath Due
punishment will be administered for
all these crimes.
These were among the outstanding
developments at the Moscow Confer
, ence, The intensive discussion, lasting
two weeks. did not and was not in
tended to bring about the solution of
all the problems that are before us.
Much less could we anticipate the prob
lens that are bound to arise from day
to day and from year to year. There
were other problems such, for example,
as questions relating to boundaries,
which must. by their very nature, be
left in allegiance until the termination
Of hostilities. This is in accordance
with the position maintained for some
time by our Government.
The Conference thus launched a
forward movement which, am firmly
convinced, will steadily extend its
scope and effectiveness. Within the
framework of that movement, in the
atmosphere of mutual understanding
ana confidence which made possible
its beginning in Moscow, many of the
problems which are difficult today will
as time goes on undoubtedly become
more possible of satisfactory solution
through frank and friendly discussion.
We Of today shall be judged in the
future by the manner in which we
meet the unprecedented responsible
ties that rest upon us-not alone in
winning the war, but also in making
certain that the opportunities for flu
turc peace and security shall not be
lost. Only by carrying forward such a
program with common determination
and united national support can we
! expect, in the long range of the future,
i to avoid becoming victims of dcstruc-
tive forces of international anarchy