El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-04-21
MONROE DOCTRINE SAVES LEAGUE
ARTICLE TEN HAY; MAY AID JAPAN
ARTICLE 10 Of the covenant
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RTICLE 10 Of the covenant for he league Of nations
"A reads in its revised form:
aotbnq In this covenant shall he deemed to affect the
validity Of international engagements such treaties Of
arbitration regional understandings ike the Monroe doc
trine for securing the maintenance Of peace"
This is the amendment which adopted in Paris to
make the covenant accord with the American demandand
that demand although voiced By Republicans chiefly
sanctioned by Democratic opinonthat the league OF ma
lions recognize the validity Of the Monroe doctrine
The Monroe doctrine is not rightly to be called an Sin
Sensational engagement" regional understanding It
declaration Of policy behalf of the United States
government and this government has always upheld It
singlehanded.
fact is that the league covenant recognizes and thereby en-
dorses the Monroe doctrine There IS Importance IN
that which may not be apparent at first glance
Some nations the past have refused to recognize the
Monroe doctrine Some have gone far to cha
snge The United States has had always to defend it.
But every government that puts Signature TO the
league covenant every nation that enters the league OF
nations thereby recognizes and assents to the principle OF
the Monroe doctrine There getting away from It and
che first cou-frv TO undertake any act in violation Of
Monroe doctrine thereby gets itself into trouble with the
lague Of nations Therefore the United States in future
VII not stand alone the defender Of the doctrine
incidentally, William Jennings Bryan may derive some
comfort from the fact that the amendment be con-
srued recognizing and sanconing the many arbitration
treaties which he promulgated when secretary Of state
But If the United States finds much satisfaction IN Ar
ticle TO- it is also possible that Japan may ind some
thing Of interest N IT. For what IS apans supervision OF
the Far East regional Understandings? It has been
avoHed by Japan and nobody has yet denied It Silence
has constituted assent or IS the amendment puts It, 'e
japanese colonization IN China and Siberia on preferential
treatment Of Japanese banks and industries IN China and
elsewhere In the orient? II the amendment IS construed
sanction all that, the other big powers viii consider It
rather a bitter dose
The general defect Of the covenant Is lack Of definite
ness. President Wilson is himself too much given to
harry generaies susceptible of various constructions and
the league covenant has the fault In so vital doc
meut everything should have been put down with much
the specific cearness Of iemized statement The nat
ter above cited is extreme illustration but IN point
II would be most desirable to leave international lawyers
as little room as possible differences and give nations
as little opportunity possible Of putting forth selfish
claims based On their interpretations Of ambiguous clauses
IL the covenant
But as for the inclusion Of the Monroe doctrine It Is in
proper to say that the amendment to the covenant saves
the Monroe doctrine The Monroe doctrine not IN
danger The American people stood unit behind It
and they would have sanctioned the entry OF the
United States into league Of nations which jeoparozed
the Monroe doctrine They would have insisted that the
United States stay out matter what pressure any mem
her Of the American delegation at Paris might have brought
10 bear The United States is only nation, It Is true
bat the fortunes Of and peace have made the dou
nant nation and the league Of nations with the United
States staying out would be rather helpless affair In
stead Of the league covenant saving the Monroe doctrine
the inclusion Of the Monroe doctrine has saved the league