Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-06-24

Alliance that the United States
would regard any attempt on their
part to overthrow an Independent
state in the Western Hemisphere as
against the interest Of the United
States which we should resist. Cal
houn and others thought that such a
declaration and policy would certain
ly involve US in many wars.
What has been the result? For
now nearly a century, the Monroe
Doctrine has been maintained invio-
late through q constant assertion OF
It by succeeding administrations and
without firing q shot or the loss Of q
single soldier. During the Civil War.
Napoleon the III did attempt to vio-
late it by setting up Macmillan in
Mexico as an Emperor. AS soon as
our hands were free. however. and
we were able to send Sheridan with
an army to the Mexican border. Ma
poleon withdrew his French troops
and Macmillan collapsed. If such a
threat by the United States alone,
not always so strong as she now is.
maintained inviolate declaration
like the Monroe Doctrine for a CEN
tury, 1t follows a fortiori that the
declaration of the League uniting the
power of the world in proposed
maintenance Of similar doctrine
will be equally effective, and that it
will not involve the members of the
League in any more wars than we
have been involved in by reason of
the Monroe Doctrine.
Will Il Retard Progress?
Finally, it is objected to Article X
that It ID too rigid. that progress Of
the world may need rearrangsmsnt
Of boundaries. a snlarEes1ene Of
one country aad Z reduction Of IN.
other Or the creation Of new states.
Article x does not forbid changes In
boundaries or the enlargement or re.
ductiou Of states Or the establish
ment Of new states. All that It for.
bids II the taking Of territory by
force from q member Of the League,
or ovsrthrowins its government by
violence. Article x does not protect
any nation against internal disturb
ance, rebellion or revolution. It does
not prevent the division OF states by
these means. The objection assumes
that war by one existing nation upon
another is necessary to the progress
Of the world to secure useful changes
in boundary. We need not deny that
a war of aggression may achieve a
useful end. but the basis upon which
the League rests is that such advan-
tages are out-weighed by the suffer-
ing in modern war and the possi-
bility that q small war may lead to a
general war and. an enormous dam
age to civilization. The effort in the
formulation OF the present treaty is
to make just boundaries and the ef-
feet OF Article x will doubtless be to
maintain those boundaries, in so far
as to prevent foreign aggression
from AFFECTING them.
ireland Not Affected
The suggestion that Article x was
intended to bring to the aid of Great
Britain the power OF the United
States to suppress q revolution in
Ireland is Of course wholly unfound-
ed, because revolution in Ireland
would not be an attack upon the ter
ritorial integrity or political indie.
pendence OF Great Britain by exter-
nal aggression.
The insinuation against Article X
that Great Britain secured 1t in order
to get the aid OF the United States
and other members Of the League to
defend and protect "her far flung
empire" Is also without basis. No
war in the last century has been be-
gun against Great Britain to take
away territory from her. Neither
she nor the United States would feel
called upon to invoke the defense Of
the League to protect their bounda-
ries. They can defend themselves.
No other state ie likely to attack
them, with the purpose OF violating
Article x. The reason for Article X
is the protection Of weaker nations
against stronger ones. Great nations
are seldom attacked except in case
Of a conspiracy like that Of this pres
ent war. and when such q conspiracy
exists. all Of the members OF the
League will be anxious to Join in its
Article X is one OF the
great steps forward provided in the
League for the securing Of general
peace.