THE MONROE DOCTRINE AND THE PANAMA CANAL No nation can claim rights without acknowledging the duties that go with the rights.

It is a contemptible thing for a great nation to render itself impotent in international action, whether because of cowardice or sloth, or sheer inability or unwillingness to look into the future.

It is a very wicked thing for a nation to do wrong to others.

But the most contemptible and most wicked course of conduct is for a nation to use offensive language or be guilty of offensive actions toward other people and yet fail to hold its own if the other nation retaliates; and it is almost as bad to undertake responsibilities and then not fulfil them.
During the seven and a half years that I was President, this Nation behaved in international matters toward all other nations precisely as an honorable man behaves to his fellow-men.

We made no promise which we could not and did not keep.