Past opinions offer perspective
Looking Back reviews opinions published in The Spokesman-Review during this week in history.
Washington’s address, Feb. 22, 1954
An S-R editorial explained the context of President Washington’s farewell address, which is often cited as a call for isolationism.
“At the time the great danger was that the nation would retain bitterness against England and be too enthusiastic in sympathy for the French, who had helped the colonies succeed in revolution. Washington feared that the newly won liberty of Americans would be exerted in making a choice of sides in a purely European conflict. Perhaps he foresaw, as did England, that France was about to become a menace to world peace. Napoleon was general of the French army and was winning fights in Italy.”
The editorial continued: “What he said was not in any sense a precaution against working with other nations in efforts to protect the outer reaches of American defense. In fact, he added a thought that is highly pertinent today: ‘Taking care always to keep ourselves by suitable establishments on a respectable defensive posture, we may safely trust temporary alliances for extraordinary emergencies.’
“Were Washington in the White House today, he would, unquestionably, urge full cooperation with all nations that stand firmly with us in opposition to an aggressor.”
John Glenn, Feb. 23, 1962
Astronaut John Glenn’s landmark orbiting of Earth prompted this editorial.
“United States handling of the spectacular and successful world orbits by astronaut John Glenn Jr. has had a profound effect upon Communists in Moscow. The open and above-board manner of this flight has put to shame the Reds’ methods of staging their own earlier secret experiments in space exploration. When these experiments – personalized after the fact by Gagarin and Titov – were conducted, Krushchev made no such gesture toward sharing technical knowledge as he did when the Glenn flight was completed.
“Mr. Kennedy’s acknowledgment of the Krushchev congratulations and plea for sharing was proper. … But America should be realistic about this Russian offer for cooperative endeavors in this field. … After all, there are many mundate differences that could be settled if the Communists could relax their own tensions and demonstrate a reversal of their zeal to bury us.”
Miracle on ice, Feb. 26, 1980
The editorial board celebrated the astonishing victory of the U.S. hockey team over the Soviet Union at the Winter Olympics.
“Friday’s victory over the Soviets was the real championship game. A group of unknown college kids did what a corps of diplomats might be unable to do in months or even years. They whipped the Soviets, they enhanced America’s image abroad and they restored American pride at a time when America needed a lift.”
The editorial went on to say: “In a larger context, the hockey victory was a win for the West against the East. It showed that the rambunctious American spirit to compete and win still lives. It proved America has not lost its will.
“The young athletes who did the skating, checking and scoring have brought distinction not only to themselves, but to their country.”