Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-07-04
THE MONROE DOCTRINE


Article XXI Of the revised oevsnant
Of the league provides as follows;
Nothing in this covenant shall be
deemed 10 affect the validity OF in.
ternational engagements such as trea'
los Of arbitration or regional under
standings like the Monroe doctrine for
securing the maintenance Of peace.
II is asserted that this article does
not adequately reserve the Monroe doe
irine because Il is not regional un.
derstanding' and its purpose is not
the maintenance Of peace. Ii is al.
80 objected that although the Monroe
doctrine is national policy, any dis
pute concerning. its reservation in ar
tiele XXl shall be submitted 10 the
league for arbitration or examination
under articles XIII or XIV. The reason
FOR these objections disappears upon
an examination Of the general purpose
Of the league and the character and
effect Of the Monroe doctrine.
It's Origin
10 1923 a number of South American
states. having thrown off the yoke %
Spain, had become independent repub-
Lee. Il was believed that the European
powers constituting the Holy Alliance
were planning TO overthrow the indc.
pendenee of the new states and by
making them colonies Of an European
state to introduce in this hemisphere
the autoeratie monarchieal principle.
1t was to Illustrate such a design that
President Monroe In his annual mess
age to congress said:
"We should consider any attempt on
their part--the part Of European pow.
ers to extend their systems TO any por.
tion of this hemisphere-as dangerous
to our peace and safety" and "We
could not view any interposition for
the purpose Of depressing them-the
young American republcs--or controll-
ing in any other manner their destiny
by any European power in any other
light than as a manifestation of an
unfriendly disposition toward the Unit.
ed States"
How 1t Developed
The prnciple Of the doctrine thus
proclaimed has been so developed dur
ing the hundred years that ii now in
eludes the prohibition Of attempts by
foreign nations, whether by war or pur.
chase, or diplomatic intrigue, to make
territorial acquisitions or establish new
strategieal footholds, upon or near the
Western Hemisphere, or TO secure 20.
litical advantage in the domestic az.
fairs of American nations.
The Monroe doctrine is not a prin.
eiplc Of international law. IL is ma.
tional policy based upon the right of
every nation TO protect itself against
acts tending to cmbarrass il in preserv-
ing its own national interests or poht-
ical institutions. 1t is founded upon the
same right as the familiar concert OF
European powers, except that it af-
fects greater number Of nations more
widely separated geographically, and
is asserted by a single powerful ma
tion able, without the sanction OF
treaty stipulations, to maintain it. IL
does not become effective so much by
the acquicscenee of the American ma
ions subject to its operation as from
ITS recognition by nations Of other
parts of the world as a political policy
which cannot be disregarded by them
except at the risk Of war with the
United States. Since the Monroe doe
trine is thus based upon an inherent
national right, il is entirely consistent
wiz the principle Of mutual self pro-
lection, underlying article X of the
covenant Of the league which seeks to
check threatened "external aggres-
sion affecting "the territorial integ-
rity Of existing political independence
Of all members Of the league"
Broad Purpose Of Article x
While doubtless article X was de-
signed primarily to give protection to
the seven new European republics and
the four autonomous nations in the
Near East, created under the treaty Of
peace, and probably also to France and
Belgium, in its broader aspect il was ,
in the words of the preamble
Of the covenant "to achieve interna
tional peace and security" by diseour-
aging hostile aggression everywhere;