胡適留學日記卷四一五、「但論國界，不論是非」

卷四一五、「但論國界，不論是非」

　　（五月十五日）

　　自美墨交釁以來，本城之「Ithaca Journal」揭一名言：「吾國乎，吾願其永永正直而是也，然曲耶，直耶，是耶，非耶，終為吾國耳。」（My country—may it ever be right, but right or wrong, my country）意言但論國界，不論是非也。此言揭諸報端已逾旬日，亦無人置辯。一日，同居世界學生會之各國學生談論偶及之，有表同情者，亦有反對者，莫衷一是。餘適過之，聆其言論，有所感觸，故以所見作一書寄此報主筆。其人不敢登載，社中訪事某女士堅請登之，乃載入新聞欄（其書見下）。昨日余往見前校長白博士之夫人，夫人盛稱余書，以為正彼所欲言而未能言者。白博士（Andrew Dickson White）曾兩任使德大使，戊戌年海牙平和會，博士為美國代表團長，其功最多。夫婦都主張和平，故深惡此等極端之國家主義也。

　　MY COUNTRY——RIGHT OR WRONG,—MY COUNTRY

　　Students Representing Many Nationalities Debate as to the

　　Absurdity or Sense of the Slogan-Suh Hu's Impression.

　　An interesting debate took place at the Cosmopolitan Clubhouse on the Hill. The subject was the motto which has been printed at the top of the editorial page of The Ithaca Journal since the Mexican question began to become critical—"My country, may it ever be right, but right or wrong, my country." The last phrase, "right or wrong, my country" started the discussion.

　　An American student averred that it was an absolute absurdity, to stand by one's country whether it was right or wrong. All the other students present—including the representatives of all the different countries in the Club defended the saying vigorously. This number included students from all the different countries represented in the Cosmopolitan Club. "Some called it an absolute absurdity, while others defended it vigorously." No conclusion was reached.

　　Suh Hu'sidea

　　Suh Hu, the president of the Club, was struck by one thought that seemed to him to come nearest to the heart of the problem and presents it as follows:

　　"It appears to me that the fallacy of the saying 'Right or wrong, my country' lies in the fact that there is a double standard of morality. No one will deny that there is a standard of justice and righteousness—among the civilized people at least. Suppose 'my country' should tax me unconstitutionally, confiscate my property unjustly, or have me imprisoned without a trial, I would undoubtedly protest, even if it were done in the name of the law of 'my country'.

　　"But when we come to international affairs we immediately discard that standard of justice and righteousness, and we declare with no little pride, 'Right or wrong, my country.' Am I not right in saying that we are applying a double standard of morality—one to our fellow countrymen and another to foreign or 'outlandish' people？It seems to me that unless we adopt one standard of right -eousness both within and without our country, we have no common ground on which we can argue."

　　「吾國乎，是耶，非耶，終為吾國耳」

　　——胡適對各國學生代表辯論的印象

　　〔中譯〕

　　世界學生會最近就此事爭論甚為有趣，題目即為上引之格言。此格言自墨西哥問題激化以來一直印在《綺色佳雜誌》社論篇之首，即：「吾國乎，吾願其永永正直而是也，然曲耶，直耶，是耶，非耶，終為吾國耳。」其末一句引出了一場爭論。

　　一美國學生認為不問該國行為之是非，總以其國利益為立場，此實大為荒謬。其餘在場學生，包括世界學生會各國的代表，卻為此言辯護，爭論非常激烈。「有反對的，也有贊成的」，意見無法一致。

　　胡適之見

　　學生會會長胡適深以為此事之關鍵在於：

　　「我以為此謬見『是耶，非耶，終為吾國耳』之所以為然，是因為有兩個道德標準。人人都不反對萬事皆有一個對錯及正義與否的標準，至少文明國應如此。假如吾國違憲向吾徵稅，或非法將吾之產業充公，或未經審判即將吾入獄，吾誓必力爭，不管其是否以『吾國』法律之名義行此事。

　　「然而涉及國際間事，吾即放棄那個對錯和正義與否之標準，且頗自得地宣稱『是耶，非耶，終吾國耳』。以此觀之，餘以為吾人奉行道德的雙重標準，其一用之於國人，另一用之於他國，或『化外之民』，餘此說不亦對乎？餘以為吾人不管國內國外只應奉行一個是非標準，否則無法爭論此事。」

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