The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-10-26
TWO BIG CONTRACTS.


ton, President Wilson has assumed two
! immensely big contracts
The first Of these is that the United
states proposes 10 insist upon the gov
ernments of Mexico and Central
America being strictly constitutional
and honestly popular governments. He
viii not tolerate occupations, dictator
ships. or the supplsnting in any way Of
the popular will in public affairs.
Necessarily. Of course. the interpre;a-
tion as 10 whether the government iu
. Mexico or IN any Central American
/ country IL In fact constitutional and
1 popular government would vest in the
administration Of the United states.
I The people Of those countries will not
\ be- allowed TO decide FOR themselves
whether their government is cousti,u-
I tiousl, popular, aud honest or not. rbat
must be decided Tor them iu Washing
ton by the President of the United
States. Here is a contract that is Ger.
tainly large enough 10 satisfy the am
billions of any man. But when il is
urged that this programme is a part or
natural outgrowth of the Monroe doc
trine, the students of international law
will have 20 be shown. There is abso-
lu,ely nothing in the Monroe doctrine
10 Justify any assumption nt all on the
part of the United States OF any such
authority over Mexico and the Central
American countries as Is implied IN q
programme like this. II Is. in fact. a
programme Of usurpatiou and conquest,
and not in the least programme OF
protection TO these countries, only as
protection may be implied in the bene-
fits to the people that might be sup
posed TO be insured in the carrying out
Of that programme. The Monroe doc
trine has nothing 10 do with interfer-
cncc in the home affairs of any Of the
nations of America IL simply notifies
the powers Of Europe that the United
States would consider it an unfriendly
act 10 itself II they interferod with
the governments established in the |
states OF America That Is all; and !
every attempt TO twist the Monroe doc |
trine into the proposition that the |
United States must have finger IN |
the pie by way of managing the local |
affairs of these American governments |
Is a sheer intrusion.
The other contact, as reported, is that
the United States will not tolerate in
reference by any of the nations of the
world against the programme of our
with respect TO Mexico.
Here, also, is large contract. It is
quite true that the Monroe doctrine
would Justify the administration in
powers in the affairs of Mexico, or any
attempt by these powers to extend
their system Of government or jurisdic. |
ton over any part of Mexico. But to
iay that the European powers will not
be allowed 10 interfere with the pro.
gramme of the United States in Mexico,
20 far as there is any programme, Rp-
pears 10 mean that the United States
viii not support the present govern
nent of Mexico In putting down rebel
ion, but will hold that government re-
ponsible IL the rebellion 10 not put
lown. That the United States will not ,
'rotect its citizens In Mexico, and will
Tot allow any other government to pro !
eet It's own citizens; that remonstrance
vin be made by this country In case J
ny foreign power undertakes to reeog- ,
lie the Mexican government when this !
government does not want that govern
nent recognized. A proposition of this !
ind Is so directly contrary TO the terms -,
md spirit OF international law and A..
omity that the nation undertaking to :,
nforce it must be prepared TO fight !,
he world for the reversal of the pre-
edents and comities among nations =
Thich would be so reversed.
II must be that President Wilson
oos not fully realize the extent of the
rogramme involved in these two propo.
ltlons, or he would hardly venture to :
ut them forth as cardinal principles in
Is policy. The situation is certainly
ne Of extraordinary complication, and
vents of startling importance are liza.
lie 10 be sprung upon the world anv .
ay. I