The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-13
THE U. S. MUST ACT.
Uncle Sam Must Exercise a Police
), Power Over Some Of the
q Republics
Something Like the Plat Amend,
ment Is Needed to Give Peace
and Stability.

Washington, Dec ia prominent
senator whose advice is considered of
value at the White House said that this
crisis in Venezuela might establish new
relations with that part of South America
contiguous to the Panama canal.
THE United States does not intend to
play the dog in the Manager said he.
1.-THE Monroe doctrine does not guarantee
the other republics on this continent i'm
munity from punishment for offenses
against the subjects of other powers or a
means by which they can repudiate their
debts. There was no violation of the
Monroe doctrine by Germany and Eng
land making a demonstration against
Venezuela on this continent. The Platt
amendment forbids Cuba to contract
debts beyond her ability to pay and
gives this government the right to
intervene to protect Cuban independence.
We shall have to have a similar police
power over the isthmus of Panama when
the canal is built. and when that becomes
the great gateway Of commerce between
the Atlantic and Pacific we shall have to
exercise police control over the whole
north coast of South America, especially
if such constituencies Adventures as
Castro are to continue the usurpation OF
power there. The other great powers of
the world will insist on this, and by our
own determination to allow no European
responsibility ourselves. We have the
navy to do it and our interests will in a
few years demand it. Just now public
sentiment would not approve such an eX-
tension of our power, but it will have to
come to give peace and stability to the
governments in South and Central Ameri-
ca. We will not interfere with CONNER
ctal arrangements except to warn Euro
pean powers that they cannot accept
mortgages on these small republics or
make loans to them beyond their ability
to pay out Of their revenues. They could
even take Castro prisoner without calling
for a protest from this government. But
it would be dangerous for them to go to
any considerable expense in war with
Venezuela, for the reason that the United
States would not permit them to take ter
ritory to make good their expenditures.
1t is fully understood at the foreign Off
ces in London and Berlin and certainly
we have never had a more explicit recOg-
milton of the Monroe doctrine than In the
correspondence Of Germany with this
government in relation to this Venezuelan
affair But President Castro has demon
strated the need for something more ex-
plicit regarding the Monroe doctrine.
we must recognize these South Amer
lean republics either as independent SOW
ereign powers, responsible for their acts
or we must have some authority over
them. Castro has demonstrated the need
for some police power over Venezuela to
guarantee a stable government there that
will be responsible for its conduct toward
foreign powers and for the obligations it
incurs. We have in the new arrangement
with Cuba hit upon plan that would be
applicable to other small republics and
after we have had few more Of them in
that region there will be a general under
standing that Uncle Sam shall exercise a
police power over South America. at least
over those republics that are cursed with
interminable revolutions, of which
are fomented by rival European powers In
their effort to get control of commercial
advantages"