Page:Dramatic Moments in American Diplomacy (1918).djvu/195

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IN AMERICAN DIPLOMACY
175

fields of Flanders. The civilized world has the problem presented by it still to face. Roughly the point of view was this:

A superior nation has the right, if not the duty, of compelling an inferior nation to adopt such ideas of government, justice, and customs as it may decree, and to open its territories to the use, and its resources to the benefit of the superior nation. Particularly the latter. The creed is that "manifest destiny" makes such physical and political domination inevitable in the interests of civilization, and "progress." Without exception, the demand is that this shall be accomplished in short order by force of arms, so that a heaven-sent "culture" may uplift the benighted area. In other words, the trader from a "civilized" state may proceed to a "heathen" state and sell his goods or conduct his enterprise in any way he sees fit, and has the right to demand military and diplomatic support for his decision.

Perhaps such action is inevitable, like the tides, and beyond the control of men's minds,