The sun., 1918-12-11
The sheet Anehor-wn 1t Hold.

Fhe sheet Anchor-WiIl 1t BOtd7
Grave apprehension Is expressed In
many quarters lest the appearance OF
President WILSON In the role OF an
arbiter or assistant nrblter OF the
destinies of European nations may
weaken the Monroe Doctrine, IL 1t
does not graduaijy lead to the virtual
abandonment q the traditional and
generally recognized American policy
Of non-lntervention in the politics OF
the other hemisphere.
II We accept In the most literal
sense President WILSON'S declaration
less than three years ago mt the Pan.
American Scientific Congress in WASH
angton there should be no fear OF his
infidelity TO the Monroe Doctrine. He
said on January Z, 1915:
The Monroe Doctrine was proclaimed
By the United States on her own au-
tierity. It always has been maintained,
and always will be maintained, upon
her own responsibility"
On the surface this would seem to
be an unqualified reaffirmntlon OF the
principle from which American policy
has never swerved during almost a
century. Yet the President went on
to limit the Significance OF his words
by narrowing his definition OF tie
broader policy OF non-intervention
which the familiar phrase denotes to
the general understanding. The
Monroe Doctrine" he added, de
manded merely that European Gov.
ernments should not attempt to ex-
tend their political systems to this
side of the Atlantic"
About month later President
WILSON returned to the Monroe Doc
, trine In speech delivered on Feb
ruary ., 1915. at Topeka. Kansas:
America knows that the only thing
that sustains the Monroe Doctrine and
all the differences that foo from II Is
her own moral and physical force. The
Monroe Doctrine Is not part OF interna-
tional law The Monroe Doctrine has
never been formally accepted by any
international agreement The Monroe
Doctrine merely rests upon the state
nent of the United States that II certain
things happen she will do certain things
So nothing sustains the honor Of the
United States In respect OF these long
cherished and long admired promises ex-
cent her own moral and physical force"
And a year later, In his address Of
january 90, 1917. to the United States
Senate on essential terms Of peace
In Europe, he expanded his defini-
tion of the Monroe Doctrine into SEN
timental nebulosity If not into prac-
tical absurdity by saying:
Il am proposing. as 1t were. that the
nations should with one accord adopt
the proposal OF President MONROE a.
tha doctrine of the world: that no ma
Zion should seek to extend It's pollty
over any other nation or people. but
that every people should be left free to
determine Its own polIty, Its own way
OF development, unhindered. unthreat-
ened, unafraid, the little along with the
great and powerful. I am proposing
that all nations henceforth avoid en-
tanEling alliances which would draw
them into competitions OF power; catch
them in u net OF intrigue and rivalry
and disturb their own affairs with infiu-
ences introduced from without. There
Is no entangling alliance in a concert
of power
Thus the phrase Monroe Doctrine"
mas been employed at different times
by President WILSON to suit his dia-
lectic or didactic purpose Of the mo-
Inent. 1t would be Improbable to In
qulre into the Inconsistency of these
and other utterances OF his on the
subject, whether In the direction of a
too narrow or Of too sleazy inter
pretation of Its scope. He has never
seemed to think clearly about that
broad doctrine OF non-interference in
the politics Of the Eastern Henri.
sphere and resistance of attempted
European interference In the politics
Of the Western Hemisphere, known
generally MS the Monroe Doctrine, and
for convenience generally II inaccur-
ately 30 styled.
But this broader doctrine or prin-
ciple OF American policy has had not
withstanding what President WILSON
says Of 1t, distinct and official for
mutation possessing the authority of
direct declaration by the United
States Government and therefore far
transcending In importance and au.
thority anything which he ns an IN.
dividual or even us the executive mart
OF the Government can say to the ma.
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