DIPLOMATS’ DECALOGUE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1082, 20 September 1930, Page 28

DIPLOMATS’ DECALOGUE

AN AMERICAN JUDGE GIVES ADVICE JUSTICE AND RESPECT “Even if you do not love your neighbour as yourself, you need not hate or misjudgo 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 be provoked to swish his, to the disturbance of that tranquillity by which international relations should ever be 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 maychance already to occupy, lest you be openly accused or secretly suspected of wishing to keep it. "With two ears to hear, but onlyone mouth to speak, do not overtax 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. “Be 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 more noise may be 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 y-ou be suddenly called to incur vast expenses for the increases 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 be 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: hut unhappily- its earthly- application has constantly given rise to differences of opinion. So, while all nations profess to 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 be. “As he who does not control his emotions may risk abatement as a public nuisance, so he who loves other countries better than his own is in danger of perdition. Reverence and defend your own heroes, and let others freely do the same by theirs. Muckrakers are peculiarly out of place in international life. Great deeds cannot be 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 country’s cause, or fail faithfully to defend it. Even your adversary, while he may not decline the fruits of incompetence or disloyalty, will despise the person guilty of either. On the other 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 are 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.