The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-09-20

Mr.. Coolidge Q therefore. that the
question Of Asiatio immigration narroWs
itself to this: Ii the future population
Of our Pacific Coast to be white. or 10 IL
to be Oriental? The answer. OF course.
10 not doubtful. From b moment
Americans feel constrained to faoe mat
tors In this form they will take measures
TO prevent what may come to be regarded
by them as q deadly peril. Our author
sees that such measures Of exolusion
might fairly be described as tributes
to the virtues rather than to the vices
Of the Asiatic; the desire to bar him out
might, like the determination OF the
negroes TO keep white men out OF Hayh,
DO construed as an admission OF his su-
periority. That way Of looking at the
matter, however. will not prevent the
American people from taking whatever
steps they believe noedful to protect
their workingmen's standard OF living
and TO keep their Pacific Coast q white
mans country. What 10 true OF Amefi-
cans would doubtless prove true OF other
white men under similar circumstances.
The Russians. tolerant as they are sup
posedto be in their dealings with Asiatics.
will v permit their East Siberian
possessions to be overrun by Chinese.
Mr.. Coolidge, indeed. asserts with on
fdenoe that there IL not o State In Europe
in which the annual arrival OF $1,000
Chinese would not provoke such active
opposition that means would be found
to check the movement. -,
ii.
In a chapter on the Monroe Doctrine
Mr.. Coolidge reminds us that President
Monroe talked only about Europe aud
America and did not take into considers
ton other parts Of the world. What.
then. Is the bearing Of his doctrine upon
Asia2 Is the United States confined
by traditional policy to the Western
Hemisphere3 Or. sinoe Asia Is not mem
toned In President Monroe's message.
is that continent open to every kind OF
American activity Europe would have
been glad to see the first view prevail
among us. and this was the view indorsed
by the Democratic platform In 1900. To
our authors mind II seems absurd to
assert that the Atlantic Is q natural bar
rier between peoples but that the Pacific
is not. As q matter Of fact, however.
the second Interpretation has won the
day. In the United States Americans
have taken an active part in the opening
up Of eastern Asia; they have frequently
Joined with other Powers In common
action there, and they have established
themselves in the Philippines. When
the question came up in a concrete form
they decided that their rule Of n%on-inter-
ference in European affairs should not
prevent them from acquiring islands
in the Pacific, no matter in which hemi-
sphere, Western or Eastern. they might
be situated. As Capt. Mahan puts Il:
Europe construed by the Monroe Doc
trine would include Africa with the Levant
and India. 1t would not include Japan,
China, nor the Pacific generally In
our authors Judgment this definition
is arbitrary and not final. but he oon-
cedes that it represents fairly well the
present geographical limits Of the Mon
roc Doctrine as these are outlined In the
American mind.
We are not allowed, however. In this
book to overlook the indubitable fact
that there is another side to this Asiatio
question. II Asia does not come within
the scope Of the Monroe Doctrine why
should the Asiatic Pc wers feel bound to
observe It? II It has not prevented Ameri-
cans from establ!ah ing themselves In the
Eastern Hemisphere how can It exclude
the Japanese from the WesternF Would.
INQUIRIES Mr.. Coolidge. japanese posses
sion Of Ecuador, for example. be moro
serious for the United States than Ameri-
can ownership Of the Philippines 10 for
Japan? This at least is certain, that
Americans In forbidding Asiato inter
ference with the Western Hemisphere
cannot fall back on the argument Of
reciprocity which they .habitually apply
to Europe.
Even with regard to Europe the habit
Of non-interference 10 nowadays occa-
sionally broken. OF late years Amert-
cans have undoubtedly shown a greater
d~isposition than Of old to take part in
European questions. The reference.
OF course, is not to the c~onjunctures when
merely in the capacity Of a civilized
nation the United States has appeared at
various international. scientific and
philanthropic meetings. It also was
represented at the Berlin conference Of
1885. when the foundations Of the Congo
Free State were laid; and at the Algeciras
conference Of 1909. where u Govern
ment helped to regulate the affairs Of
Morocco, and sven signed. though with
some reservations. the general act Of
agreement. The further fact Is recalled
that Secretary Hay protested against
the oppression Of the Jews in Rumania
and in his official capacity transmitted
to Russia a Jewish-American petition
about the Kishinef massacre-acts which,
whether we approve Of them or not.
were scarcely In ~oonsonance with the ira
ditions Of American foreign policy. Mr..
Coolidge would not allege that any Of
these proceedings has been Of decisive
consequence In itself. but he thinks that
together they may be taken as indioa-
tons Of a rather different attitude on our
part toward Europe In the future. Now.
II this should prove to be the case. II VI
are tending to abandon that portion Of
the Monroe Doctrine which forbids inter
ference In European affairs. how can the
United States insist that Europe shall
not NEEDLE In those Of Amorioaf Mr..
Coolidge evidently thinks that logically
We can do nothing Of the kind, and more
over that such an attitude would DO weak
morally and would give European Powers
t--fk.. ~~. - 1-,lt .A.t.-x