New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1917-09-29
THE MONROE DOCTRINE
A WORLD PRINCIPLE,

i In the meantime, although our
: neutral rights were not brought
into question by Germany as early
by England, the German con-
tronversy was infinitely more SER
ious.
! For any dissension that might
arise no arbitration treaty existed
between the United States and
the German Government.
| 1t was therefore obvious from
the first that any controversy
with the German Government
would be exceedingly serious; for
if it could not be solved by direct
diplomatic conversations, there
was no recourse except to war.
In the first year of the conflict
the Government of Germany
stirred up among its people a
feeling of resentment against the
United States on account of our
insistence upon our right as a
neutral nation to trade in muni-
tions with the belligerent powers.
Our legal right in the matter was
pot seriously questioned by Ger
many. But upon "the moral is
use" involved, the stand taken
by the United States was con-
sistent with it's traditional policy
and with obvious common sense.
For, II, with all other neutrals,
! we refused to sell munitions to
belligerents, we could never in
time of q war Of our own obtain
munitions from neutrals, and the
nation which had accumulated the
largest reserves Of war supplies
in time Of peace would be assured
! of victory.
To write into international law
that neutrals should not trade in
munitions would be to hand over
| the world to the. rule Of the ma
ton with the largest armament
factories.
But our principal controversy
with the German Government,
and 4he one5swhic h rendered the
situation at 6nce acute, rose out
of their announcement of a sea
zone where their submarines
would operate in violation of all
accepted principles Of Internal
ional law. Our indignation at
such a threat was soon rendered
passionate by the sinking Of the
Lusitania. This attack upon our
rights was not only grossly il
legal; it defed the fundamental
concepts of humanity.
Evidence of the bad faith of the
Imperial German Government
soon piled up on every hand. And
meanwhile in this country official
agents of the Central Powers i
protected from criminal prosecu-
ton by diplomatic immunity
conspired against our internal
peace and placed spies and agents |
provocateurs throughout the
length and breadth of our land. i
While expressing cordial
friendship for the people Of thel
United States. the Government Of
Germany had its agents at work
in Latin America and Japan.
They bought or subsidized papers
and supported speakers there to
rouse feelings of bitterness and
distrust against us in those friend
ly nations. in order to embroil us
in war. They were melting to in
surrection in Cuba, in Haiti. ard
in Santo Domingo; their hostile
hand was stretched out to take
the Danish Islands; and every-1
where in South America they were
abroad sowing the seeds of dis
sension, trying to stir up one ma
ton against another and all :
against the United States.
I'm their sum these various ope-l
rations amounted to direct assault
upon the Monroe Doctrine And
The German offensive in the New {
was becoming too serious
To- be ignored. I,
So long as it was possible. the
Of the United States
,ried to believe that such activi
les were the work of irresponsi-l
Die and misguided individuals. I'll I
vas only reluctantly. in the face {
# overwhelming proof, that the t
.eca1l Of the Austro-Hungarianl
ambassador and of German Mil I
tary and Naval Attaches was del
handed.
In the meantime the attacks of t