The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-20
permanent occupation. Upon this
question. the secretary said. Mr..

question. the secretary said. Mr..
Roosevelt argued in accord with him
self; that the only escape from such
alternatives as would be presented in
States Ito bring about some arrange
ment by which so much as possible
Of just. obligation shall be paid"
The secretary also quoted Mr.. ROose.
Welt as saying that 1t was far better
for the United States to put through
an arrangement for the payment of
this obligation than for q foreign
country to do so.
From material standpoint, said
simply to one of insurance.
We diminish our responsibility"
he said. "in proportion as we bring
about improved conditions. Like an
insurance risk our risk decreases as
the conditions to which 1t pertains
are improved"
Tho secretary did not hesitate to
presented in the question Of foreign
interference in Central American re-
publics. In his discussion Of the
Monroe doctrine he traced the history
of Cuba to show how wise had been
the policy Of the United States when
those nations proposed to cooperate
with Spain to guarantee Spanish re-
tention Of Cuba.
Cuba an Example.
To-day no great liveliness of imag-
ination is needed" said Mr.. Knox.
to conjecture In retrospect whittier
the Pearl Of the Antilles might have
drifted but for the part taken by the
United States In securing Cuba for
the Cubans." A president of Santo
Domingo. said Mr.. Knox. had gone
SO far as to make a secret agreement
with Spain at the time Of the civil
war for the annexation Of that re-
public to Spain. Recently Italy had
sent warship to Santo Domingo to
force the payment OF claims of Ital.
ians against the Dominican govern:
states was forced to insist upon an
arbitral settlement of claim between
Venezuela and Great Britain, which,
while merely on its face an issue Of
determining an underlined boundary
line. I'm essence appeared to involve
the setting up OF expanded colonial
domination by Great Britain over a
large part Of the historical territory
OF Venezuela" Foreign Intervention
ed more than once.
conventions proposed with Nicaragua
and Honduras were entirely separate
from any contracts made between
tn governments Of Nicaragua and
Honduras and individual bankers in
this country. The conventions only
offered protection to the lenders in
the event that the contract made
with Nicaragua or Honduras met
with the approval Of the department
secretary. was absolutely necessary to
allow countries with financial condi-
tons such as exist in Nicaragua and
Honduras to secure money at any.
thing like reasonable rate.
The idea of a loan arrangement as
was contemplated with Nicaragua and
Honduras. he said, was not an exper.
iment but had been thoroughly test
ed out In other instances. particularly
IN santo Domingo. It has proved
there that they did not bring foreign
entanglements. but prevented them
by eliminating discontented and
clamorous foreign creditors which
are at the present time narrowing
Nicaragua and Honduras. Moreover,
experience showed, he said. that the
arrangements would allow those
Countries to extricata themselves
from the thraldom. Of civil strife.''
naturally he argued. aid American
trade with them. =.
The secretary pointed to the pres
ent conditions Of many Of the South
american countries to show how aid
given to them in past years had help
ed them to develop until now not
only was the United States relieved
OF responsibility toward those coun-
tries. but they had become fellow
sponsors with the United States of
the Monroe doctrine as PAN Amer
lean idea as we'll as an American pol
icy.
Mr.. Knox emphasized the increas.
ed national interest In Central Amer.
lean affairs which would come in this
country as result Of the opening Of
the Panama canal.