Page:Paul Samuel Reinsch - Secret Diplomacy, How Far Can It Be Eliminated? - 1922.djvu/222



tent manner to the realization of that new spirit which must surely come to deliver humanity. That spirit is not a mere ideal, it is fortunately already present in much of international prac- tice; but it needs constantly to be followed up and supported in order that it may become the custo- mary and instinctive guide, superseding such prejudices as are still current which favor tor- tuous manipulation and perpetuate an uninformed and confused state of the public mind.

In order to fulfil this promise and destiny the United States would have to rely in the first place on the inherent merit of her ideals and princi- ples of action, and on the support which they will receive from the approval of the peoples of the world. As far as organized governments go, as distinguished from the people, some will be more inclined than others to cooperate with the United States in a reform of international practice. There is no question but that the great majority of governments will thus cooperate, though some of the most important may for a time be left on the other side.

With those peoples and governments who are in language, political traditions and general im- pulses most closely related to us, there should grow up a particularly strong feeling of confi-