River Junction Tribune

George Washington No Isolationist;

Opposed Only Lasting Alliances

Once a mistaken idea gains wide currency, nothing is harder than to kill it; and Washington's Birthday in this year of upheaval is a good time to recall the first President's real position on foreign relations.

A famous speaker many years ago referred to Washington as having denounced "entangling alliances;" the misquotation gained wide currency, and soon the impression grew that Washington had opposed any participation by the United States in European affairs. Persons opposed to aid to Britain through the means provided in the pending lease-lend bill have cited this as a reason for their position.

But Washington was no isolationist. What he really said in his Farewell Address was:

"It is our true policy to steer clear of PERMANENT alliances with any portion of the foreign world."

What Washington feared, as many other utterances of his make clear, was the type of alliance that would bind the United States to go to the aid of an ally under any and all circumstances that might develop into war—in other words, the type that would make this nation a European policeman. Probably such an alliance will be proposed after this war is over. Then will be the time to remember George Washington's wise words.

Right now, it is enough to remember that he never wrote anything that could remotely be considered as applicable to the present situation. Rushing aid to a friend standing between us and the mad dogs has nothing to do with forming a "permanent alliance."