The sun., 1916-12-22
Consider What This Pledge Means!

MI. WILSON may nOt De prOposihS
peace. he may not he proposing medi-
alton, he may not be interposing his
hand or his head between the belliger-
ents who are fighting this European
war. he may not be suiting his nets
to GerMany's present deslres-but
the fact remains that he Is not only
proposing something which no Presi-
dent Of the United States ever before
proposed. but also pledsing this ma.
ton to something which no President
Of the United States has the right or
the power to pledge.
That something Is the humiliation
Of the Monroe Doctrine. which has
governed the policy OF the republic
for almost one century Of the repub-
lies existence.
Mr.. WILSON speaks with feeling Of
the interests Of the United States as
a neutral Power In relation to the
war waged for European politics.
There Is no other interest of the
United States of such transcendent
importance rs that which lies behind
the traditional refusal Of our Gov.
eminent to mix In the political affairs
of the European nations and its ira
ditional determination. so often and
In so many forms declared, to permit
no European interference with the
destinies Of the republics Of North,
Central and South America, no ex-
tension Of European political inru'
ence In the Western Hemisphere.
We are not discussing the merits
Of the Monroe Doctrine or 10 exam.
lining Its health to see If 1t Is senile,
mOribund, fit for no further progress
except a journey to the last resting
place Of obsolete and superseded ma
tiOnal policies. We merely call at
tentiOn to tho outstanding fact that
the proposal and pledge which occur
In the course Of President WILSON'S
eloquent expression M the natural
hope OF American civilization and hu'
mainly to sec peace restored on q
lasting basis would incidentally send
the Monroe Doctrine straight to the
tomb. This Is not to he dismissed as
q matter Of academic interest It's
bearings on our international relu'
tons are those Of a revolutionary
change with practical consequences
Unreasonable. 1t near not only the
utter abandonment Of our attitude OF
aloOfness from the complications OF
European politics, but also the absO
lutte surrender Of the position which
we have maintained against all conner.
with regard to the American repub
lies south Of our border. The par
ticipatiOn Of the United States In Eu
ropean guarantees inevitably means
the entering OF the European Powers
into the affairs Of the Western Hemi
! sphere wherein We have assumed nnt
exercised an exclusive function. Spe
cincally, 1t means European coOpera
ton and tutelage In the affairs o,
Mexico, Of Guatemala, Of Honduras
of Nicaragua, Of Santo Domingo. o
Costa Rica. Of Panama, Of Colombia
: of Venezuela, and so on down to TIN
jumping off place Of Pan-Americai
policy Mt Cape Horn. There is NJ
, avoiding the fact that the Unite'
States cannot abolish m half Of tn
5 Monroe Doctrine and preserve intac
the other half.
Here Is President WILSON'S pro
: pOsal and his pledge:
"In the measures to be taken to 80
cure the future peace of the world tn
I people and Government Of the Unite
States are Al vitality and as directi
interested as the Governments now a
/. war. Their interest, moreover. in tn
means to Be adopted to relieve III
smaller M weaker peoples OF the worl
Of the peril OF wrong n violence Is g
O quick and ardent as that of any oths
d people or Government, They stan
ready, aud even eager, 10 cooperate I
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