It is a mistake, and it betrays a spirit of foolish cynicism, to maintain that all international governmental action is, and must ever be, based upon mere selfishness, and that to advance ethical reasons for such action is always a sign of hypocrisy.  This is no more necessarily true of the action of governments than of the action of individuals.  It is a sure sign of a base nature always to ascribe base motives for the actions of others.  Unquestionably no nation can afford to disregard proper considerations of self-interest, any more than a private individual can so do.  But it is equally true that the average private individual in any really decent community does many actions with reference to other men in which he is guided, not by self-interest, but by public spirit, by regard for the rights of others, by a disinterested purpose to do good to others, and to raise the tone of the community as a whole.  Similarly, a really great nation must often act, and as a matter of fact often does act, toward other nations in a spirit not in the least of mere self-interest, but paying heed chiefly to ethical reasons; and as the centuries go by this disinterestedness in international action, this tendency of the individuals comprising a nation to require that nation to act with justice toward its neighbors, steadily grows and strengthens.  It is neither wise nor right for a nation to disregard its own needs, and it is foolish—­and may be wicked—­to think that other nations will disregard theirs.  But it is wicked for a nation only to regard its own interest, and foolish to believe that such is the sole motive that actuates any other nation.  It should be our steady aim to raise the ethical standard of national action just as we strive to raise the ethical standard of individual action.

Not only must we treat all nations fairly, but we must treat with justice and good will all immigrants who come here under the law.  Whether they are Catholic or Protestant, Jew or Gentile; whether they come from England or Germany, Russia, Japan, or Italy, matters nothing.  All we have a right to question is the man’s conduct.  If he is honest and upright in his dealings with his neighbor and with the State, then he is entitled to respect and good treatment.  Especially do we need to remember our duty to the stranger within our gates.  It is the sure mark of a low civilization, a low morality, to abuse or discriminate against or in any way humiliate such stranger who has come here lawfully and who is conducting himself properly.  To remember this is incumbent on every American citizen, and it is of course peculiarly incumbent on every Government official, whether of the nation or of the several States.