Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-07-05

fishing colonies which would have be-
come a menace to our republican insti
tutions, OF at least "a source Of nation.
al disquietude. An Of this has been
prevented without the use in a single
instance Of military force by the Mon.
ree doctrine, which is therefore, aptly
described In article XXI as securing
the maintenance Of peace"
A Possible Reservation
But II the senate is Of the opinion
that the use Of the words regional un.
derstandingh creates any doubt as TO
the meaning OF article XXI, Il can, in
ratifying the treaty, make deelaa.
tion that its action is taken under the
reservation that the covenant is TO be
so construed as 10 leave the Monroe
doctrine unaffected, In view Of the
general purpose and effect of the lea.
que, referred TO above, such a reser.
walton would not be regarded as sub.
stantial amendment Of the covenant.
Upon this point the official eommen-
tary Of the delegates Of Great Britain
upon the revised covenant is particu.
larly pertinent They refer 60 the Mon
roe doctrine and similar understandings
as having "shown themselves" in his.
tory 20 be not instruments Of national
ambition but guarantees of peace,
and add:
The origin Of the Mcnroe doctrine
Is well known. II was proclaimed in
1929 TO prevent America from becom.
ing theater for the intribues Of Euro
pean absolutism. At first a principle Of
American foreign policy, Il has be.
come national understanding and il
is not illegitimate for the people Of
the United States to say that the cove
nant should recognize that fact.
In It's essence II is consistent with
the spirit of the covenant, and, indeed,
the principles Of the league as express.
ed in article X represent the extension
10 the whole world Of the principles of
this doctrine, while should any dispute
as TO the meaning Of the latter ever
arise between the American and the
European powers, the league is there
70 settle them. -
This commentary received especial
force from the fact that England had
close historical connection with the
proclamation OF the Monroe doctrine
in 1923 and in the Venezuelan dispute
the most advanced claim as to the
scope OF the doctrine was sharply call.
cd TO her attention; and no delegation
at the peace conference probably un-
dcrslood better than that Of Great
Britain how the Monroe doctrine was
intended to be affected by article XXI
Validity Not Endangered
As the validity" of the Monroe
doctrine is not affected" by article
Xxi the doctrine is excluded from the
Of the covenant. If, therefore
ease within tho principle of the doc.
trine should arise II would not be with.
in the jurisdiction of the league. Even
II question whether the doctrine ex.
tended 10 a particular situation could
be made the subject or inquiry under
article XIV, there could be little doubt
Of the result; for. If we except few
cases whore doubt has existed as to
the applicability Of the doctrine, and
the belated assertions Of President Car
rama that il is non.existcnt, il is now
understood by all the nations of the
world.
But II is too late to have forebod.
ings on account Of the remote chance
that a question concerning the Monroe
doctrine may have to be submitted to
arbitration or inquiry under the cove
nant, for, by the Bryan treaties, rati-
fled by the senate in 1914 and 1915, we
have already agreed with Great Brit
ain, France, Italy and six other Euro
pean nations, as well as with Chill,
Brazil, Peru and seven other Amen-
can states, that all disputes Of an in
tcrnational character, including those
affecting national honor and vital in
terests, such as the Monroe doctrine,
shall be submitted to an international
commission for investigation and re.
port, and that pending such report
war will not be- declared or hostility
commenced. These treaties are "inter-
national engagements" and their va
lidity. within the reservation of ar.
ticle XXI, is mot affected by the cove.
nant. Under the Bryan treaties, there
fore. arbitrators, majority Of whom
are not to be American citizens, would
have jurisdiction to consider and re.
port concerning any dispute arising
under the Monroe doctrine, and while
the arbitration was proceeding this
country would be obliged to abstain
from enforcing the doctrine, however
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