conciliation, and arbitration, and would gladly join in that expressed
conscience of progress, which seeks to clarify and write the laws of
international relationship, and establish a world court for the
disposition of such justiciable questions as nations are agreed to
submit thereto. In expressing aspirations, in seeking practical plans,
in translating humanity's new concept of righteousness and justice and
its hatred of war into recommended action we are ready most heartily to
unite, but every commitment must be made in the exercise of our
national sovereignty. Since freedom impelled, and independence
inspired, and nationality exalted, a world supergovernment is contrary
to everything we cherish and can have no sanction by our Republic. This
is not selfishness, it is sanctity. It is not aloofness, it is
security. It is not suspicion of others, it is patriotic adherence to
the things which made us what we are.

Today, better than ever before, we know the aspirations of humankind,
and share them. We have come to a new realization of our place in the
world and a new appraisal of our Nation by the world. The unselfishness
of these United States is a thing proven; our devotion to peace for
ourselves and for the world is well established; our concern for
preserved civilization has had its impassioned and heroic expression.
There was no American failure to resist the attempted reversion of
civilization; there will be no failure today or tomorrow.

The success of our popular government rests wholly upon the correct
interpretation of the deliberate, intelligent, dependable popular will
of America. In a deliberate questioning of a suggested change of
national policy, where internationality was to supersede nationality,
we turned to a referendum, to the American people. There was ample
discussion, and there is a public mandate in manifest understanding.