Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-21
MONROE POLICY
APPROVED--TAFT
League Extends Doctrine to
End of World, Says
Former President
X REPLY TO r
Wild Words" Are Uttered by
Small Americans in Con.
gress, He Says
A X E P TO BORAH
By the Associated Press

san Francisco, Feb. 81. Former
President William II. Taft, addressing
he closing session of the Pacific coast
onEres OF the League to Enforce Peace
last night, replied to his critics and
opponents OF the plan for the establish
ment OF a league of nations and re-
ferred particularly to an open letter adj
dressed to him personally by United
States Senator William Borah. OF Idaho.
which questioned the efficiency OF the
n Doctrine In the event the league
or nations plan was adopted.
Senator Borah wants TO know. in
what he calls an open letter." said Mr..
TAFT. whether / would consent to a
league OF nations in which the Monroe
Doctrine Is not recognized. I will an
swer him by saying that I would like
to have the Monroe Doctrine 'acknowl-
edged specifically by such a league. but
IL a recognition of its principles is con.
tanned In the covenant for such a league
I would not object to the form in which
II 10 put.
Extends Monroe Doctrine
Article I of the covenant drafted in
Paris extends the Monroe Doctrine 10
the end of the world and gives II tho
backing of the entire world. Conse-
quently 1t recognizes the Monroe Doc
trine and am in entire support Of that
covenant
what I would like to ask Senator
Borah Is this: II he insists upon the
specific acknowledgment Of the Monroe
Doctrine In the covenant of the league
OF nations and IL such recognition is
given 1t in the covenant agreed upon in
P2EfA will ha xInta Tor n ~-. A--N
upon the covenant as finally amended?
"WiId Words Humorous
The wild words of Representative
Tess and Senators Reed and Poindexter.
shot out into the air on the theory that
the people Of this country do not read
or that they will accept their bald state
rnents unquestioned would be humorous
II they were not the utterances Of such
eminent and learned gentlemen"
Mr.. Taft also made an address at
luncheon given him by the San Fran
cisco Center in which he characterized
the members Of the Senate who are op-
Aposing the league of nations as small
iAmericsns."
Termed Small Americans"
Certain small Americans on ~ "
Of the United States Senate pro
see dire danger and eventual
to the country II we enter the
nations, agreed upon at the Iai
table" said Mr.. Taft in this add .
= II do not use the term small 49,
lean, in an invidious sense, but To
imply that these gentlemen have a
small view of America the provincial.
selfish view that the highest duty OF
America Is to preserve a safe, COM
workable. luxurious prosperity for our
I'm people. beyond which we have no
ether responsibility oward the rest Of
the world.
while the statesmen and peoples of
the entire world are unanimous In the
certain belief that unless the machin-
cry of such a league is set in motion,
war, more terrible m far-reaching
tran the one which we have just en-
dured, will sweep the world in ten or
twenty years. the only discord in the
concert is heard In the voice OF small
America from certain small visioned
men, who have been elevated to the
United States Senate"
Mr.. Taft left San Francisco for Salt
Lake City to attend the Mountain Con-
gress Of the League TO Enforce Peace
In that city.