The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-24
Third Conference Of pan.A merIca.

The third conference of the Ameri-
can republics was convened in Rio
Janeiro yesterday, and the delegates
will no doubt proceed to put the Amer
lean republics on a basis of comfy and
friendly understanding. Uncle Sam is
the big brother of the conference, and
he and his Monroe doctrine would be
very welcome were 1t not for the new
plan devised for collecting debts by
force. Against this plan DR.. Luis M
Drago, formerly minister of foreign re-
lations in Argentina, presents a doc
trine that repudiates the new feature
of force. Dr. Drago says no nation has
a right forcibly to undertake to collect
debts due from another nation. If the
Drago doctrine can be established and
maintained, there would Of course be
no excuse for interference of the San
Domingo or any other sort on the part
of the United States. 1t would be, too. a
guaranty of independence to the lesser
republics. none of whom are strong.
The Hague will perhaps be asked to
protect the defenseless republics from
attempts to collect debts by force. The
Venezuelan case was submitted to The
Hague tribunal, and doubtless other
cases will be-
But the little American republics do
not feel secure in the hands of The
Hague tribunal. They say the jury is
packed, and SO they desire firm dec
laration from the conference now in
session at Rio Janeiro. They espe-
eially desire an acceptance of the
Drago doctrine by the United States.
Calvo held that a claim from abroad
should adjudicated in the home courts,
and that there should be no appeal
from those courts. Drago simply
broadens the Calvo doctrine so that it
can readily, If accepted, become part
of international law.
No more interesting question will
come before the conference at Rio, and
no one seems to know what position
Secretary Root will take on 1t. He
will perforce be compelled at Rio
Janeiro to express his views and the
inclinations of the executive branch of
this government. The Senate, how
ever, is the court of last resort in this
matter, and no one knows how the
Senate regards the Calvo, or the
Drago. doctrine.
DIR. Drago himself presents the sub
ject compactly when he says:
Among the fundamental principles of
public international law which humanity
has consecrated one of the most
precious is that which DEGREES that all
states. whatever be the force at their
disposal, are entities in law, perfectly
equal one to another and mutually en-
titled by virtue thereof to the same con-
sideration and respect.
THE Acknowledgement of the debt the
payment of 1t in its entirety. can and
must be made by the nation without di-
minution of its inherent rights as a SOW
ereignentity. but the summary and inn
mediate collection at a given moment, by
means of force. would occasion nothing
less than the ruin OF the weakest ma
tons and the absorption of their govern
ments, together with all the functions in
herent in them by the mighty of the
earth The principles proclaimed on this
continent of America are otherwise. Con-
tracts between a nation and private indi-
viduals are obligatory according to the
conscience of the sovereign. and may not
be the object of compelling force. said
the illustrious Hamilton. They confer no
right of action contrary to the sovereign
will. "
The entire subject promises to come
up at the conference now in session
in the Brazilian capital, and it will be
a long step toward freedom from COM
plications il all the Americas can agree
upon a doctrine that would shut Eu-
ropean intervention out altogether.
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Immune Gotten.