"These would be some of the consequences of a policy of national isolation carried to its ultimate conclusion, Any move in the direction of isolation must necessarily have the same results in varying degrees. For from facilitating the solution of our domestic problems, a policy of national isolation, or even a movement toward such a policy, would aggravate the very difficulties with which we are now confronted. It would, moreover, put into jeopardy precisely those institutions of free enterprise and individual freedom, the maintenance of which alone holds, a promise of success in solve ing our great problems.
"Some argue in favour of national isolation from another point of view—namely, that by withdrawing from normal relations with other nations we can insure for ourselves freedom from risk of embroilment in war, Here again the exact reverse is true, "No country can insure peace for atselt by merely proclaiming its desire for peace when there are in the world nations willing to challenge and fight other nations to gain by force what they covet. When such is the case, peace can be assured only at the price of abject surrender to the challenger. One would have 10 be blind to obvious facts to indulge in the belief that the existence of such potential international challengers is not today a stark reality.
"It is not through a policy of isolation but rather through supplementing our domestic efforts by playing our appropriate role as a member of the family of nations that we can hope to solve the problems which confront us today within our own frontiers. That role has two essential aspects.
"The first is concerned with tne maintenance of world order under law as the sole effective instrumentality for the preservation of and application of enduring peace. Such world order calls for acceptance and application by nations of certain basic principles of justice and fair dealing in civilized international relations, respect for national independence and sovereignty, scrupulous observance of international obligations, willingness to adjust all international disputes solely by pacific means. To the establishment of such world order we can contribute by our own firm adherence to these principles; by using our moral influence to induce other nations to give them their adference; by ce-operation in all peaceful efforts to give practical reality to the application of these principles; by maintaining our strength and our courage to the end that no nation will be tempted to challenge anywhere our vital national interests.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.