The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-02
RULES PEACE
CONFERENCE
James Monroe, Dead American States
man. Is Biggest Figure
at Paris Peace
Table,
by William Philip Simms. United
Press Staff C,nrrssnnndent

by William Philip Simms. United
Press Staff Correspondent
PARIS, tBy Mail. )-Stephen Lau-
Same. editor of lie Matinr considers
that 1t will be impossible ever 10 re-
concile the Monroe Doctrine with the
idea Of league Of nations. He said
in lie Matin:'
IF things continue to go as they are
going now Monroe viii finish the big
gest figure in the peace conference.
At present his is the only figure be-
fore which everybody bows.
Who was Monroe?
Monroe was born In a carpenter
shop and as time went on, engaged in
most all the trades. He was colonel,
lawyer. merchant. judge. ambassador,
secretary Of state Moreover, he did
all OF them well
"In 1917 he became president of the
United States.
about that time political temp
est was blowing strong in the Old
World. United under the name of the
Holy Alliance the European govern
rents talked Of nothing less than the
establishment of an absolutism, first
in Europe. then in America.
Monroe saw storn-clouds coming
lis way and called his old friend.
Thomas Jefferson; philosopher and
friend Of the French Philosophers
d'Alembert and Condorcet, to con-
sultation. Whereupon Jefferson
wrote:
America, both North and South,
as interests absolutely distinct from
those OF Europe and which belong to
her alone It IS necessary, therefore,
to establish the principles of a sys-
tenn which shall keep these interests
separate from those of the Old World.
While the latter is trying TO make
itself the home Of despotism our
hemisphere is trying to make itself
the land of Liberty
'Monroe found the suggestion good,
sc on Dec 2, 1923. in An address to
congress at Washington, lie put the
idea into slightly different words. He
seid:
"'Our politics has always consisted,
and always should consist, in taking
no part in European wars. Also we
have always abstained from interven-
ing in the affairs of the colonies or
dependencies of European nations and
we shall continue so to do. But for
those which have won their indepen-
dence and obtained recognition az
states, we can not but consider as an
act hostile to the United States any
intervention having for object the OPP
preston or control in any manner
whatever, of the destinies Of these
same
There it was, 1t was done! A
new doctrine was born.
Now is this Doctrine OF Monroe vio-
lated by the league of nations project?
1T seems to me fundamentally para
doxical and trifle infantile to pre-
tend the contrary.
when the executive council OF the
league OF nations fixes the reasonable
limits of the armament OF Peru;
when It shall demand information con-
corning the naval program of Brazil
Cart. s Of the covenant); when 1t shall
tell Argentine what shall be the meas
ure of the contribution Of the armed
forces to protect the signatures of the
social covenant Cart. 16); when it
shall demand the immediate registra-
ton of the treaty between the United
States and Canada at the seat of the
league. It will control, whether it
wills or no, the destinities OF America.
And when the American states shall
Dt ODIlSeA W Idhs q manu- III every VA
or menace OF war in Europe Cart III,
they will necessarily fall sfoul OF the
fundamental principle laid down by
Monroe which was that Americans
should never take part in European
war.
IF the league takes in the world,
tf1en Europe must mix In the affairs
of America; If only Europe Is in
cluded. then America will violate of
necessity her own doctrine by inter-
mixing in the affairs Of Europe"