Evening star., 1944-03-23
American Foreign Policy

the basic principles animating
American foreign policy, even
though it contains nothing new, is
timely for two reasons: First, be-
cause it reminds all of us, including
those who loosely charge that the
State Department is operating with
out any ideas at all, that our posi-
tion abroad is still being governed
by the Nations traditional and his
toric beliefs in international deal
lngs: and second because. by impli-
cation at least, it serves notice on
other powers that the United States
will not be in sympathy with any
settlements made outside the frame
work of those beliefs.
AS Mr.. Hull reafflrms them, the
basic principles of our foreign policy
are: Cd That all persons are en-
titled to liberty when they are quail
ified to meet its responsibilities;
(2) that every sovereign nation, big
or little, Is the equal of every other
nation; 60 that as long as they
respect the rights of others, all
countries have a right to be free
from outside interference in their
internal affairs: (4 that the bases
of world order and enduring peace
are willingness to settle disputes
peacefully and the acceptance and
0hcnruor,pn nf ir,t finro1 1au
60 that nondiscrimination in eco
nomic treatment and opportunity is
essential to the maintenance of a
stability among nations; and 60
that the well-being of mankind is
best promoted by, good-neighborly
cooperation in liberty, equality,
justice, morality and law.
These principles are not new.
With rare exceptions. they have
governed our relations with the rest
of the world ever since we became
a Nation. True enough, they are
generalitieS, but. like the Declara-
ton of Independence, they express
the aspirations and ideals of Amer
lea and, more or less in the manner
of broadly stated law or a code
of action. they serve as a guide.
frame of reference. for whatever
steps we take in international af-
fairs, ranging all the way from
moves toward a system of collective
security-maintained by force, if
neceSSary-to understandings de-
signed to make colonial peoples self
governing, as in the Philippines.
In our imperfect world, OF course,
full of an imperfect humanity, the
application of such principles, the
pursuit Of them as foreign policy,
may often fall far short of the ideal.
Yet they are not to be scoffed at
for that reason, for they have in
the past exercised a great deal of
moral weight The criticism cur
rently aimed at the State Depart
ment tends to overlook this fact,
with the result that the American
people as whole are confused,
particularly because the department
itself has been slow in clarifying the
relationship Of our broad. basic
policy to such specific problems as
the. future Of Poland and the gov
ernments Of Italy and France.
In his latest statement. Secretary
Hull does not get down to concrete
cases, but it has been indicated that
he may do so in a forthcoming
speech. If he will now discuss par
ticulars against the background of
these important generalities, 1t may
be found that the foggineSs ascribed
to the State Department has been
more fancied than real. 1t should be
emphasized, however, that difficult
and vital problems confront us. The
solutions cannot be found in gen.
eralities, no matter how fine they
may be in principle If we expect
to have an influential hand in
shaping the new world we must
declare ourselves on the matters
pressing for decision, and we must
do it now.