Two notable doctrines of the courts point ways for ethics. The first is
that of property affected with public interest. Applied thus far by the
courts to warehouses, transportation, and similar public services, what
limits can we set ethically to the doctrine that power of one man over
his fellows, whether through his office, or through his property, is
affected with public interest?
The police power, which sets the welfare of all above private property
when these conflict, is a second doctrine whose ethical import far
outruns its legal applications.
Yet it is by neither of these that the most significant progress has
been made toward removing that handicap of inequality which is the
chief injustice of our economic system. It is by our great educational
system, liberal in its provisions, generously supported by all classes,
unselfishly served, opening to all doors of opportunity which once were
closed to the many, the most successful department of our democratic
institutions in helping and gaining confidence of all--a system of
which this University of California is one of the most notable leaders
and the most useful members--that fair conditions for competition and
intelligent coöperation in the economic world are increasingly
possible.
V
What bearing has this sketch of the significance and progress of
coöperation upon the international questions which now overshadow all
else? Certainly the world cannot remain as before: great powers
struggling for empire; lesser powers struggling for their separate
existence; great areas of backward peoples viewed as subjects for
exploitation; we ourselves aloof. It must then choose between a future
world order based on dominance, which means world empire; a world order
based on nationalism joined with the non-social type of competition,
which means, every nation the judge of its own interests, continuance
of jealousies and from time to time the recurrence of war; and a world
order based on nationalism plus international coöperation, "to
establish justice, to provide for common defense, to promote the
general welfare, and to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves
and our posterity."
It is not necessary to discuss in this country the principle of
dominance and world empire. It contradicts our whole philosophy. Safety
for dominance lies only in a civilization of discipline from above
down, in ruthless repression of all thinking on the part of the subject
class or race.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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