New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1913-10-25
IS THE MONROE DOCTRINE
BEING ABANDONED?


sentatives a bill to establish as
a national holiday, under the
name of "MOnrOe Doct IN
Day." the I'd of December to be
celebrated as such. 1t is the an
niversary of the date III 1873
when President Monroe brought
up in a message to Congress his
celebrated proposition that the
United States should regard with
condemnation and positive dis
approval any movement by Eu-
ropean nations to attempt the
conquest and subjection of an!
of the American republic that
had achieved their independence
of Spain.
1t should be noted that the
countries of Mexico and Central
and South America, which had
been provinces of Spain, and had
won their independence in the
early twenties of the last cen
tury, were threatened with an at.
tack by several Of the continental
nations of Europe, under the title
of the ''Holy Alliance"
Great Britain was strongly op'
posed to the avowed intentions
of the alliance and warned thu
United States through this ma
ton s minister at London. The
prospect Of a Europeon invasion
was so threatening that President
Monroe thought it necessary tt
place it before Congress in HI;
message.
The United States in 1923 was
young and feeble nation, an1
it's protest would scarcely have
prevented the invasion and at
tack but from the fact that Grea
Britain, then, as now, the mos'
powerful nation on the ocean II
the world, was known to be op
posed to it.
Our people to-day, citizens o.
the richest and most populous o.
nations do not recognize TN
weakness of the United States
with only ten millions OF peopl'
in 1923 and the great obligation
it owes Great Britain for its po
sition at the time the Monroe
Doc trine was announced. y
course, now that the United
States has a hundred million o
population, with unlimited mater
ial resources, no nation propose
to violate the Monroe Doctrine.
But to the astonishment OF tn
world there is disposition OF
the part of not a few OF the pee
ple of the United States to aban
don the various Latin-Americal
countries to their own device
and relegate the Monroe Doctrin
to the junk heap. The New Yorl
Herald believes such action j
near at hand, in view of recen
developments, and favors coop
eraeion with the great powers o
Europe in an effort to quiet tn
discord and pacify the contendin
claimants for control in Mexico
1t is reported that the Unite'
States, through its ambassadors
has already proposed such join
interference in Mexican affair
to the principal European nations
and should the proposition be &C
cepted, that would be the end Q
the Monroe Doctrine, just nine
ty years after it was first brough
into existence as special Ne,
| World rule of action-Americ
for Americans.
The only time when the Nor
| roe Doctrine was authoritativel
asserted was in 1865. Soon afte
! the breaking out Of the sections
Civil War in the United States
| Great Britain and France sen
naval fleets to Mexico to enforc
obligations and demands, tn
United States being Occupie
| with its own internecine wa
France took advantage of the OF
portrmity to convert the Mexica
| Republic into an empire, wit
the Austrian Grand Duke Ma,
imilian as emperor. The Amer
lean war having come to an en-
| in 1865, the United States, wit
| a great military force, turne
towards Mexico when the Frenc
forces retired from this side @
the Atlantic. The Mexicans b.
ING left to themselves, ros
against their emperor and defea'
ed and executed him in 1867.
That movement of the Euro
pean powers against Mexico wa
taken when the United State
could not resist. As soon as
| could do so, protest was mad
with such a show Of force ths
European interference soon cam
| to an end. For the Unite
States, now in full growth an
| power. to abandon the Monro
Doctrine by inviting European il
reference, would prove that a
astonishing change in our n.
tional principles has suddenly o
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