Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-10
MONROE AND VENEZUELA

ETTHEN James G. Blaine formulated
| ~ the doctrine of pan-American-
W ism it was believed by many
that the question OF the relation to
each other of the republics south of this
country had been settled satisfactorily
for all time. Protected both by the
Monroe doctrine, which shielded them
from unwarranted foreign aggression,
and by the attitude of Uncle Sam, who
in recognizing pan-Amcricanism prac-
tically guaranteed them against benev-
olent assimilation by himself, some of
the southern republics proceeded
promptly to give examples of the
ingratitude of which all republics are
accused by proverbial philosophy. Ven
ezuela In particular was thorn in the
flesh of the protecting power. Claims
against Venezuela held by European
nations were not pressed because its
government had nothing but territory
and territorial wealth on which cred
itor might levy, and territory and ter
ritorial wealth were immune under the
Monroe doctrine. While we believe
thoroughly in the Monroe doctrine, we
cannot help seeing that like many other
wise institutions 1t may be taken advan-
tage of by the interruptions. 1t is all
very well to protect your weaker neigh
Dor from robbers who would fam pillage
his orchard, but when he takes advan-
tage of your friendship to pillage their
dtreh
cessful footing, proceeds to pillage the
orchard of his protector and benefactor,
what must that protector and benefac-
tor do? If Uncle Sam should be COM
PEELED to make a military demonstra-
ton against his Monroe doctrine pro-
tege, Europe will howl with laughter,
and in truth the joke will be on our
uncle. In the event of hostilities,
must the United States occupy Vene-
zuela with an army? Must we annex
venezuela, or must we Cubanize 1t?
Since we are specializing with regard
to eventual possibilities, which might
easily become probabilities, let us ask
what would follow a punitive expedl-
tion against Venezuela? 1t is not
unavoidable that the United States
might soon find it had for neighbor on
the western hemisphere large, power
full, inimical Latin-American federation
The keen student of history who COM
prehends the meaning of contlnentai
European and Latin-American relation
ships, sees that in spite of few blatant
fools who make mischief, now unoer
one flag of the English-speaking race,
now under another, the stars in their
courses are indicating a Worldwide red
Grafton of all the English speaking peo-
pies. We would not be rash enough TO
try to forecast the exact form or the
federation, but its principal member
will be the United States and its capital
Washington. Its language will be
known as American" and not English.
AS a matter of fact, the language'is not
now English" but composite tongue
"a mixture of Anglo-Saxon, Celtic,
French. Latin, Greek, German and
Scandinavian. AS we use it and know
it the language is new. 1t was origin
ated in the seventeenth century, when
under James / Scotland and England
became united kingdom. The transla-
ton of the Bible, ordered and directed
by James, standardized the language.
But its modern development and great
growth have been more American than
English. And when in the course OF
human events the nations that talk,
write and read American are regarded
and treated by the rest of the world as
a group by themselves. it is well to
recall an old colonial flag which has
for an emblem a disunited rattlesnake,
and for motto, "Join or die"