El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-05-01


the United states must make itself the
dominant factor ard IN which 1t will
have q transcendant interest 1t will
un0uestionably give to the Monroe
doctrine a new Importance and render
its maintenance a more urgent necessl-
" than ever before Unhappy as might
have been the lot of the United states
had that international policy been Dto-
ken down by some foreign power IN
the days before the canal was Deguns II
would not have been by any means SO
serious q situation as that which would
confront US in the future II some SlIOhg
nation should refuse to respect Ihat
doctrine and should finally attain
dominating position in the Caribbean
The bresi2fnp down of the Monroe
doctrine now might lead even 10 the
loss of the control OF the Panama
canal and we would witness that great
waterway transformed from military
asset Of immeasurable benerlt INTO
base Of operations against US
England Said TO Favor Doctrine.
There are those who hold that Great
Britain Is very glad to have the Mon
roe doctrine maintained. anu that If
necessary it would be ready to lend It's
moral, if not its physical, support 70
the United States to guarantee It's
perpetuity. They assert that those VINO
see situations arising in the future
where the Monroe doctrine might be
disputed with force OF arms are seeing
conditions not likely to arise except IN
the minds Of those who possess lively
ina ginatiOns.
Many Nations Opposed to 1t.
Or the other hand, there are well
informed people who feel that there are
nations which have not finally and for
ever acquiesced in the Monroe doctrine.
They assert that while il perhaps IS
true that no nation is seeking an i'm
aginary grievance upon which 70 pred
cate an effort TO break down this prin-
-ru.Ts. Tu-@. noe lion ffTr =
other hand, if a situation should arise
wherein the Monroe doctrine actually
stood in the way of such a power as
Germany OF Japan serious trouble
might follow.
Those who take this view Of the stu
alton feel that the worst feature Of the
whole problem is the fact that the con-
ditiOns which might lead the United
States into a war for the preservation
OF the Monroe doctrine may not be Of
our own making They point out that
while the diplomatic officials Of the
United States might prevent conditions
that would lead TO war from arising IN
our own country, we canot feel so Ger
tain about the actions OF some Of our
sister republics OF the Caribbean IT IS
well known that some Of these cOun-
tries have been rather remlss in re-
gardtnE their international obligations.
1t is also believed by some persons that
there have been Instances in which
some. at least, Of these countries
would not have been grieved great
deal If their courses had actually in
vOlved the United States in war with
foreign power.
should Exercise Preventive Control.
With such a condition confronting
the responsible authorities OF the Unit
ed States IL is but natural that they
should desire to exercise over the re-
pUElics Of the Caribbean that guiding
control that viii serve TO prevent them
from exposing America to the danger
Of a foreign war through any i'll con-
sidered OF irresponsible acts of theirs.
Through all the years this condition
has led administrations Of every shade
OF political belief TO insist upon the
right Of the United States to make GER
taiE that none Of the republics south
Of US does anything inimical to our own
international relations 1t was this doc
rrine that led secretary Oluey. in the
Venezuelan boundary controversy TO
say to England that today the Unit
ed States is practically sovereign on
this continent and its fiat is law upon
the subjects to which il confines its
interpositiOn." Secretary Knox states
that he is sure that the spirit behind
those words contemplated no arbitrary
exercise OF sheer power, but deter
mined zeal in magnanimOus cOnsidera-
ton for the rights of other American
republics, a sincere sympathy with
them in their trials, and an inststence
upon the right. that good might come
to them, and that our own vital inter-
Rest Way 10 Avoid Difficulty.
According to secretary Knox the best
way to avoid the difficulties occasion
ally arising out Of the responsibilities
entailed by the Monroe doctrine is to
assist the less fortunate American re-
publics in conducting their affairs in
such a way that those difficulties viii
not be so likely to arise Mr. Knox
further calls attention TO the fact that
under the sheltering care OF the Mon
roe doctrine several of the republics OF
South America have grown TO be great
and powerful and have come to enjoy
the highest culture and the pest point
ical ideals, and have maintained stable
governments. He says that the logic
OF political geography and OF strategy,
and now the tremendous national IN
terest created by the Panama canal
make the safety. the peace ana the
prosperity Of Central America md the
zone of the Caribbean Of paramount
interest to the government OF lhe ! mt
ed States, and that the malady OF re-
current revolution and habttual flnan-
ciaI collapse is most acute in the very
territory in witch il is most dangerous
to US. He Sgards the cure or these
conditions almost an essenual 70 lhe
peaceful maintenance Of the Monroe
doctrine.
There are those who take the view
that the Monroe doctrine carries win
II a moral obligation that the United
States hitherto has refused to recOg-
nize but from which II cannot honor
ably escape. They point out that
wherever any other nation has acquired
new world territory decent govern
ments have sprung up, and that with
out exception the people have been
granted the inaiIenable rights of men
now recognized by most civilized ma
lions Whether one visits Jamaica or
the Barbados, ruled by the British.
they say. or St Thomas, ruled by the
Danish. or Dutch Guiana, ruled by the
Dutch or Porto Rico, ruled by the
Americans. without exception the peO-
PIE enjoy a peaceful life. protection IN
the courts and the right TO such prop
ertv as their wits or abilities may ena-
BILE them to accumulate On the other
hand. i'm many of the Latin-American
republics there are despotisms, some
Of them far from benevolent. in which
nine-teDtbs OF the people are oppressed
and exploited to the end that the other
tenth NAV live In luxury
Those who see this contrast assert
that these conditions cry out for rene
nv They saw that but for the Monroe
doctrine other nations long before now
would have taken possession Of these
countries and would have carried 10
them the substance of the civilization