Quotes by Elihu Root

About Elihu Root:

Elihu Root was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the Secretary of War (1899–1904) under two presidents, including President Theodore Roosevelt. He was the prototype of the 20th century revolving door, shuttled between high-level appointed government positions in Washington, D.C. and private-sector legal practice in New York City. He was elected by the state legislature as a US Senator from New York and served one term, 1909–1915. Root was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

The attractive idea that we can now have a parliament of man with authority to control the conduct of nations by legislation or an international police force with power to enforce national conformity to rules of right conduct is a counsel of perfecti...

Elihu Root

To deal with the true causes of war one must begin by recognizing as of prime relevancy to the solution of the problem the familiar fact that civilization is a partial, incomplete, and, to a great extent, superficial modification of barbarism.

Elihu Root

There is so much of good in human nature that men grow to like each other upon better acquaintance, and this points to another way in which we may strive to promote the peace of the world.

Elihu Root

The mere assemblage of peace loving people to interchange convincing reasons for their common faith, mere exhortation and argument to the public in favor of peace in general fall short of the mark.

Elihu Root

Human life is held in much higher esteem, and the taking of it, whether in private quarrel or by judicial procedure, is looked upon much more seriously than it was formerly.

Elihu Root

Claims of right and insistence upon obligations may depend upon treaty stipulations, or upon the rules of international law, or upon the sense of natural justice applied to the circumstances of a particular case, or upon disputed facts.

Elihu Root

Honest people, mistakenly believing in the justice of their cause, are led to support injustice.

Elihu Root

In the first place, when there is a policy of intentional aggression, inspired by a desire to get possession of the territory or the trade of another country, right or wrong, a pretext is always sought.

Elihu Root

No nation now sets forth to despoil another upon the avowed ground that it desires the spoils.

Elihu Root

Prejudice and passion and suspicion are more dangerous than the incitement of self-interest or the most stubborn adherence to real differences of opinion regarding rights.

Elihu Root

The line of least resistance in the progress of civilization is to make that theoretical postulate real by the continually increasing force of the world's public opinion.

Elihu Root

The popular tendency is to listen approvingly to the most extreme statements and claims of politicians and orators who seek popularity by declaring their own country right in everything and other countries wrong in everything.

Elihu Root

The theoretical postulate of all diplomatic discussion between nations is the assumed willingness of every nation to do justice.

Elihu Root

The wolf always charges the lamb with muddying the stream.

Elihu Root

Nothing is more important in the preservation of peace than to secure among the great mass of the people living under constitutional government a just conception of the rights which their nation has against others and of the duties their nation owes ...

Elihu Root

The growth of modern constitutional government compels for its successful practice the exercise of reason and considerate judgment by the individual citizens who constitute the electorate.

Elihu Root

Human nature must have come much nearer perfection than it is now, or will be in many generations, to exclude from such a control prejudice, selfishness, ambition, and injustice.

Elihu Root

The limitation upon this mode of promoting peace lies in the fact that it consists in an appeal to the civilized side of man, while war is the product of forces proceeding from man's original savage nature.

Elihu Root

The point of departure of the process to which we wish to contribute is the fact that war is the natural reaction of human nature in the savage state, while peace is the result of acquired characteristics.

Elihu Root

It is not uncommon in modern times to see governments straining every nerve to keep the peace, and the people whom they represent, with patriotic enthusiasm and resentment over real or fancied wrongs, urging them forward to war.

Elihu Root

Author Bio

  • NameElihu Root
  • DescriptionAmerican politician
  • BornFebruary 15, 1845
  • DiedFebruary 7, 1937
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionPolitician; Lawyer; Diplomat
  • AwardsNobel Peace Prize; Grand Cross Of The Order Of The Crown