46
Department of State pub. 756
Address Delivered by the Secretary of State
at New York, June 12, 1935
[Extract]
It is of utmost importance that we seek by
every means at our disposal to solidify and make more secure the stability thus
far reached and to facilitate continued progress toward an improved
international situation. But there are some ominous tendencies present in the
world which, if persisted in, cannot fail to bring disaster and to undo whatever
progress has thus far been made toward greater world stability. We witness all
about us a reckless, competitive building-up of armaments, a recurrence of the
mad race which prior to 1914 led the nations of the world headlong to
destruction. If persisted in, this course will again plunge the world into
disaster. If it remains unchecked, we shall witness national bankruptcies,
hopelessly unbalanced budgets, and consequent inevitable inflation, together
with the utter destruction of such measure of national stability as has thus
far been achieved. The world cannot extricate itself from this relentless
circle if it does not stop its extravagant military expenditures. International
sanity requires both military and economic disarmament.
Isolationism has been tried and found
wanting. It has destroyed 22 billion dollars' worth of international trade. It
leaves every nation struggling as best it can to save for itself whatever it
can from the general wreckage. The resulting international situation which confronts
the world today gives cause for grave concern to every thinking person. We
cannot afford, after years of experience, to discount its powerful effect upon
peace, economic security, and stable governments everywhere. The issues
involved are enormously greater than the petty interests of this or that
industry in tariff protection. The explosives packed in the current
nationalistic tendencies may result. as they have resulted, in the further
disorganization of social and economic fabrics. Facing these threatened
dangers, however, I have
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faith in the great traditions and strength of our American civilization,
and I also have faith that statesmanship will, before it is too late, respond
to the world crisis and find a workable solution.