The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-07-30
new MONROE DOCTRINE HERE.
NICARAGUAN POLICY REFLECTS
20TH CENTURY IDEAS.
Proposal IL To- Enter into Treaty
with Nicaragua Assuming Practi-
cally Same Rights and Obligations
] nsst Give United states Virtual
Protcctorstc Over Cuba - Gossip
Credits Plan TO John Bassctt
Moore - Advantages Of Wilson
suppiement-May Solve Mexican
Problem.

Washington Is rapidly growing to-
wards the positive conclusion that in
the new Nicaraguan proposals, sub
mitted by the state department and
the President to the foreign affairs
committee OF the senate. the Wilson
administration has made the most
significant advance In the foreign pol
Icy OF the United States since the
enunciation of the Monroe doctrine
more than ninety years ago.
The proposal Is simply that the Uni
ted States enter into a treaty with
Nicaragua, assuming practically the
same rights and obligations with re-
sard to tho smaller country as now
give Us virtual protectorate over the
Republic OF Cuba. and that in addi-
tion the United States pay to Mica
ragua s3.000.000 In return for q naval
base and for exclusive righ.s TO con-
struct an interoceanic canal through
Nicaragua territory.
In the opinion OF the department
OF State and the President. the incor-
poration In the Nicaraguan treaty of
n clause similar TO the Platt amend
ment to the Constitution OF Cuba,
whereby this country has supervision
of the dealings of Cuba with foreign
nations. and Possesses the vote pow
er as to assumption OF debts by the
Cuban government. would clinch the
proposition and establish a precedent
altogether desirable in the develop
ment OF our relations with Central
American countries in general.
While the names OF the President
and the Secretary of State are the
ones officially used In announcing the
new policy, while 1t will doubtless go
down I'm history identified with Presi-
dent wilson just as the Monroe doc
trine has been ldntified with President
Monroe. II Is the impression here In
best Informed circles that this epochal
Idea was worked out by John Bas-
sett Moore. counsellor OF the state
department. and acting Secretary in
the absence OF Mr.. Bryan.
BY general consent the palm has
been accorded to Mr.. Moore for hav-
Ing the best grasp OF international
problems OF all the experts connected
with the department He Is not only
famous authority on international
law, but ne is a lifelong student of
modern statecraft aside from its
strictly legal aspects. He stands to
Mr.. Bryan very much i'm the same re-
lation as that I'm which First Assistant
Secretary OF the Treasury John Skel-
ton Williams stands towards Secre-
tary McAdoo. Mr.. Williams has been
a banker and a student of finance all
his life. and is doubtless responsible
for certain McAdoo policies which
have made a deep impression.
The beauty OF this Wilson sup
plement to the Monroe doctrine Is it's
magnitude and its elasticity. When
II has been applied to one country,
other Central American Republics
Will have AN object lesson In it's sue
cess. and will almost irresistibly be
impelled by their own desire and
Interest To seek to share I'm its bene-
fits. IL will soften the somewhat de-
hant and arbitrary ring of the Mon
roe doctrine In the very process of
strengthening that doctrines logic and
force. IL Is a doctrine that finds the
golden mean between the sordid
dollar diplomacy" which makes the
protection OF American or foreign
money-lenders the chief end, and the
cold-blooded Calvo doctrine, which
disavows any concern with the flnan-
cial dolngs of our ncighborlng Re-
publics.
Some OF the most thoughtful polr-
tical analysists I'm Washington believe
that they can look ahead and see ia
the administrators policy, as in
augurated I'm the Nicaraguan treaty,
the ultimate solution Of the Mexican
problem, which is one Of the most
battling that any President and state
department ever encountered. AS to
Intervention, the situation is very
aptly described by Senator Tillman
as one OF damned IL we do and
damned II We don't" The outrages
perpetrated i'm Mexico are well-nigh
unendurablc; yet those disinterestcd
persons who have the best knowledge
Of Mexican conditions are inclined 10
agrec that IL we undertake to in
terfere by armed force as matters
stand now. all factions would turn ON
us and give us fearful and bloody
task. too costly To- bc worth while.
Suppose. however. that Mexican
government should gct into office