DECALOGUE FOR DIPLOMATS

Evening Star, Issue 20586, 11 September 1930, Page 14

DECALOGUE FOR DIPLOMATS

“ Even if you do not love your neighbour as yourself, you need not hate or misjudge him. Remember that, while justice is due to every man, even mercy, which becomes the throned monarch better than his crown, may sometimes not be out of place. “ Do not heedlessly swish your bamboo, lest your neighbour may bo provoked to swish his, to the disturbance of that tranquility by which international relations should ever bo pervaded. “Do not impute to other peoples a lack of the virtues which you yourself profess, lest the world judge you by what you do rather than by what you say. Even the assumption of exceptionally peaceful propensities may be questioned by others. “ Do not covet Naboth’s vineyard, and especially that which you may chance already to occupy, lest you bo openly accused or secretly suspected of wishing to keep it. “ With two ears to hear but only one mouth to speak, do not over-tax the mouth with vocal activities, especially as it has prandial and yet other useful functions to perform. Better an hour of reflection and silence than five minutes of unprofitable talk; for God and man may be. angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thine hands. “Bo not deceived by propaganda nor swerved from duty by sudden clamours, which, though seemingly spontaneous, may perchance be premeditated, highly organised, and well financed. Look beneath the surface, and remember that, as the water runs smooth where the brook is deep, so iftore noise may bo made over an evil deed than over a good one. “Beware of purchasing, with benevolent formulas, even agreements for the limitation of armaments, especially on the grounds of economy, lest you be suddenly called to incur vast expenses for the increase of your military and naval forces He who exacts a price naturally expects to be paid what he intended to get. The voluntary costs of peace may be computed in advance; the involuntary costs of war cannot ho foreseen. “All the Lord requires of man is to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly, with his God. This formula Sounds simple, and, if it were automatic, the question of peace and war would not exist; but, unhappily, its earthly application has constantly given Vise to differences of opinion. So, while all nations profess tp wish for peace, yet, as they all desire it more or less on their own terms, they often lack the will to make or keep it. Therefore, trust not unduly to vague pacts or glowing promises as safeguards against war, no matter how well meant they may bo. “As bo who does not control his emotions may risk abatement as a public nuisance, so ho who loves other conn tries better than his own is in danger of perdition. Reverence and defend your own heroes, and let others freely do the same by theirs. Muck-rakers are peculiarly out of place in interna tional life. Great deeds cannot bo circumscribed by national boundaries.’ They constitute a common heritage, from which the minds of men everywhere may be nourished with great thoughts, , “ Do not betray or disparage your eonntryjs cause, or fail faithfully to defend it. Even your adversary, while ho may not decline the fruits of incompetence or disloyalty, will despise the person guilty of eitiier. On the othei hand, if you cannot convince your adversary, do not try to overreach him or humiliate him, or let him over-reach or humiliate you. While partial advantages thus gained arc seldom profitable, remember that Justice and mutual respect are the only foundations of enduring amity.”— Judge John Bassett Moore, formerly a judge of the World Court, in the ' Review of Reviews ’ of America.