Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-18
MONROE DOCTRINE IS
GUARANTEE OF FUTURE
TO WEAKER REPUBLICS

Beyond this is to be remembered the
fact that every republic on the western
hemisphere has had its existence guar
anteed by the Monroe doctrine, the up
holding of which is essential to their
future security and the integrity of the
western hemisphere. They would be
expected to contribute to the upholding
OF the power that has been their great
est assurance against foreign agrees
sion. Add to this the moral, IL not the
physical, support of one OF more of
those European powers which are jeal-
Gus of England's sway of the seas and
You have combination which even
the British lion would not care to
tackle.
Another item which would add to the
situation would be the unrest of India.
II Will be recalled that once before
Englands war in India was one of the
things which brought about victory for
Uncle Sam. Today revolt is in the air
in this same India Let England be-
come engaged in an exhausting war
with the United States, and India will
certainly make the most of the oppor-
tuntty to throw off the British yoke
Cutting herself off from the supplies
and markets of the western hemisphere.
and affording India her long looked for
chance to revolt. would be so disastrous
to England that 1t might easily prove
her undoing as leading nation.
| From whatever standpoint one takes
| 1t England's interests are against war
with the United States. Such a war
would be most disastrous to British
welfare and no one realizes this more
than the venerable John Bull. The
world may be sure that Japan will not
enter into war with the United
States, or give this country occasion to
enter into war with it, without first
consulting Great Britain. And it Is
/ n ha 20 Ifa1e xnsia. IL.
answer would be. Her whole future
might depend upon that reply. When
the time comes for the choice to be
made England's answer will undoubt-
eddy be ana emphatic, straightout de-
claration against war with the United
States. The Japanese statesmen who
depend upon any other response will
be grievously disappointed.
England begins to see the day when
she cannot maintain her present naval
supremacy For years 1t has been her
policy to keep the British navy Just q
notch higher than the combined
strength of any other two navies In
the world. Recently the war minister
stated to parliament that he doubted IL
the United Kingdom could much longer
maintain this policy. owing to the fact
that Germany and the United States
| had embarked upon such large naval
programs. He said to keep the Eng
fish navy up to such q point would
cause financial strain greater than
England could bear. 1t was the neces-
sity for economy in naval defense that
caused England to enter into its alli-
ance with Japan, but the saving ac-
complished in this way has been more
than offset by the trade rivalry of the
Japanese.
The one great fact in the situation
is that Japan, being an island kingdom
| like England, aspires to grow into Just
such trading and shipping nation as
! Great Britain. Whatever Roadway 1t
makes with this ambition will be more
at the expense of the English than any
other people. Therefore 1t is evident
that Japan cannot succeed in becom-
ing the master of Asia and at the same
time be used to bolster up British
supremacy in the same sphere. So
| long as England continues to foster
Japan's ambition she is merely groom
| ing a dangerous rival for her own posi-
| ton in the far east.
Copyright, 1908, by Frederic ]. Haskin)
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENT in Seattle.