The United States and World Organization

Extract

On what conditions should the United States enter a world organization for the maintenance of peace? Viewing the question broadly, should not the United States enter world organization upon one condition, namely, that the organization give promise of the utmost achievement in the maintenance of peace? Unless we are prepared to repudiate the avowals of our statesmen and reverse what is perhaps the oldest and most fundamental tradition of our foreign policy, can we consistently insist upon any other condition than this one?

A good deal has been said of late about the “American idea” in international relationships. It has been suggested that the “American idea” was defined in Washington's farewell address, in the Monroe Doctrine, or in America's participation in the peace conferences held at The Hague. It seems evident, however, that this involves a confusion of the idea with its occasional manifestation in action. If there is any one outstanding “American idea” which has inspired our foreign policy from the beginning—any quintessence of principle which may be derived alike from the first neutrality proclamation, the farewell address, Monroe's message, Hay's pronouncement for the open door, or America's participation in the conferences at The Hague—that idea is the maintenance of just and honorable peace.