Omaha daily bee., 1919-07-20

of their own, in which it is our BUSH
ness never to engage ourselves.
America has a hemisphere to it
self; it must have its separate sys-
tenn of interests, which must not be
subordinated to those of Europe"
In an address at Washington, May
E, 1914, President Wilson spoke in
terms that should appeal to every
patriotic American. He said:
America should live her own life.
Washington saw it when he wrote
his farewell address. 1t was not
merely because of passing and tram
sient circumstances that Washington
said that we must keep from entang-
ling alliances; it was because he saw
! that no country had yet set its face
in the same direction which America
had set her face. We cannot form
alliances with those who are not 60
ing our way We need not, and we
should not, form alliances with any
nation in the world Those who are
right, those who hold their honor
higher than their advantage, do not
need alliances"
Refused England's Offer.
During the administration of Pres
ldent Monroe the government of
Great Britain addressed communi-
cation to the United States in which
it sought to join hands with this
country ina sort of protectorate over
the western continent, to the effect
that the United States and England
should issue joint declaration an
nouncing that while the two govern
ments desired for themselves no por-
ton of the Spanish-American colon
les, then in revolt against Spain,
they would not view with indiffer-
ence any foreign Intervention in
their affairs. This proposition to
join England in a league of two ma
tons was declined by President
Monroe. He took the position that
the United States alone is most in
terested in the affairs of the western
continent, and. in a message to con-
gress, UNDER date of December 2,
1928 said:
with the movements on this
hemisphere, we are of necessity more
Immediately connected, and by more
causes, which must be obvious to all
enlightened and impartial observers.
We owe it, therefore, to candor and
to the amicable relations existing be-
tween the United States and these
(European) powers to declare that
we should consider any attempt on
their part to extend their systems to
any portion of this hemisphere as
dangerous to our peace and safety.
"We could not view any interposi-
ton for the purpose of expressing
them (American countries) or con-
trolling in any other manner their
destiny by any European power, IN
any other light than asNhe manifes-
tation of an unfriendly disposition
toward the United States.
"Our policy in regard to Europe,
which was adopted at an early stage
of the wars which have so long agl-
tated that quarter of the globe, new
ertheless remains the same which
is, not to interfere in the internal
concerns of any of its powers.
1T is impossible that the allied
powers should extend their political
system to any portion of either con-
tinent without endangering our
peace and happiness"
This is the language of Thomas
Jefferson in letter to President
Monroe.
Should Stand Alone.
"Our first and fundamental maxim
should be never to entangle our
selves in the broils of Europe; our
second, never to suffer Europe to in
termeddle with cis-Atlantic affairs.
America, north and south, has set
of interests distinct from those OF
Europe, and peculiarly its own. 1t