United States -- Politics and government -- 1913-1921; World War, 1914-1918 -- United States
There must be a just and settled peace, and we here in America must
contribute the full force of our enthusiasm and of our authority as a
nation to the organization of that peace upon world-wide foundations
that cannot easily be shaken. No nation should be forced to take sides
in any quarrel in which its own honor and integrity and the fortunes of
its own people are not involved; but no nation can any longer remain
neutral as against any wilful disturbance of the peace of the world. The
effects of war can no longer be confined to the areas of battle. No
nation stands wholly apart in interest when the life and interests of
all nations are thrown into confusion and peril. If hopeful and generous
enterprise is to be renewed, if the healing and helpful arts of life are
indeed to be revived when peace comes again, a new atmosphere of justice
and friendship must be generated by means the world has never tried
before. The nations of the world must unite in joint guarantees that
whatever is done to disturb the whole world's life must first be tested
in the court of the whole world's opinion before it is attempted.
These are the new foundations the world must build for itself, and we
must play our part in the reconstruction, generously and without too
much thought of our separate interests. We must make ourselves ready to
play it intelligently, vigorously, and well.
One of the contributions we must make to the world's peace is this: We
must see to it that the people in our insular possessions are treated in
their own lands as we would treat them here, and make the rule of the
United States mean the same thing everywhere,--the same justice, the
same consideration for the essential rights of men.
Besides contributing our ungrudging moral and practical support to the
establishment of peace throughout the world we must actively and
intelligently prepare ourselves to do our full service in the trade and
industry which are to sustain and develop the life of the nations in the
days to come.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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