The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1919-05-28
| The Worlds Next Step
NO. 4
n The League of Matters and the Mon
@%sssx roe Dortfine
BY CLAREycE Z. spEEp

VI f-tikuf 10 Nf'Vace.
Apprehension, real or pretended
that the cherished Monroe Doctrine
win be signed away If the United
States becomes a party to the league
OF nations. as It is now proposed. is
enc OF the grounds or opposition ia
the league IN theSsen:,te.
Tile Monroe Doctrine was cnunci-
latpd ut y time when reaction was in
! the saddle II Europe. Napo.e6n had
been crushed and ancieht dynasties
Il We're being re-estabIislied on the
thrones Which had been overturned
following the French revolution. The
infant republic IN America was sur
rounded by the possessions Of power
sNpropeaiIsstates.
Wifb tie exception OF The struggling
ltroIhal Vc iR8Anerica there was hardly
amy Yace Where the spirit of deinoc-
sriicy sss'ae2 to survive. President
Monrsq selt Tie Isolation not only Of
this nsstjtn but of the democratic
I spirlf whit II REPRESENTED, ana gave
voice 60 ne doctrine that no Euro
'fpenis. ssate LIQUID be permitted to OBJ
I tain Eslgihsfs territory on. this contl-
hcrI. He Jared that HE establish
meat oyrloflaFchical forms OF govern
aiient Any nearer our borders might
ainAlsef the overthrow Of democracy
eompete.
Ne right Of the Tntetl States to
tiske this position Of guardian OF u
lhcinlSillere was never admitted by the
l.Isrsss-sti r,ati9ks, butt Europe was
1hslisY With is& niFIr affaiAwnd IN the
I catly tislAs the Monroe Doctrine was
not challenged
Time passed. Mexico md Central
fqnd S0rih American countries threw
aoT the yoSes Of Spain and Portugal.
Democracy progressed In Europe. The
british government was llberal2ed.
france became republic. then an
empire. and then once more repub-
siic. With The exception OF the Ger
innn mennce, which was not recog-
fzed until the war broke ont. Europe
seemed 70 have no territorial designs
on AIlIerica.
Il Bat tlie Monroe Doctrine grew ana
grew; From being 4 protection against
the aggression OF monarchy which
might overthrow democracy In The
United states, it W,lne to be inter-
pretesl as involving duty OF this
county to protect the little Latin.
EAmpfL yfAsrepnhlics from punishment
49, spre syN--vsvasrcts such as repn-
fsatiAn &C debts or vioieiAe to the per-
IONS by pFopegls Of foreiy ners residing
tiieii' borders.
We Msei'e pl,scIng ourselves In the po-5
!tion of being made the policeman
l.esc dirty ii was to MAKE the little
rssntlillcs be good by forceapr ourselves
% Fsn8 other nations rfsWh might ut
tetapi 10 protect the rights of their
citizens. Cam anyone imagine any
foreign ENHANCEMENT more likely to
inyolyc us III war than this? 1t will
he remembered how near we came to
war With England once on This ac-
count; and Just before the world war
broke nuf II begun TO seem pretty plain
thaf we either would have to enforce
olsleisin Mexico or stand. aside and see
SuH3e uiagF ti{ltsNn Go IL.
However, except that the Monroe
Doctrine was sometimes used to stir
up jfiaeisn, In national campaigns. ii
hitti really played little part In Amcri-
Gun thought IN recent years. III fact,
chr assumed rights under 1t were all.
fDgatetls IN some twenty arbitration
tseastles which we signed with England,
France, Russia and other nations in
1918 and the years following. and no
os.e even noticed It. These treaties
agreed that Tie United s;tates and the
other nations signing them should
'fuhfnlf IN disputes whatsoever to ar
gfAsS jeSs& These disputes were Just
ms Asciv- probably more SOTO in
ao' lie Moffae n~rtrlnc as anything
esd ltntl under The treaties we
wcalsn Mo- i,iI & snIait them to an
intesnat Eryfsag fniael ike Tint pro-
Ndyd Tor the league of nations.
DNt, tfhlgli we had signed away
orr rIsllts under che Monroe Doctrine,
the leaaste OF iiations. while It does not
ameation this American principle spe-
.ltlcally. ln realty does recognize II
BIZ virtue of recognizing the fundamon-
ial principle underlying It: and this
Is tlls first general recognition it has
ever had,
Tic Monroe Doctrine asserted that
no country would be allowed to grab
on this continent without |
gctsins Into trouble with us. The |
least % nations provides that no m
ffon shal! he allowed 10 grab 'terr,-
tory aavwhere IN the wepld without
gettin@ Into trouble with all the mem
berS OF the league. obviously thls an-
plies yo6fSslea us well us any other |
Hnls K those dSA
uy the theatef We instead of
~ food ones. I wantN enforcing the
much trouble as can. hdk the world,
l1ong to your Office and Nledged to
-. But you must NJ nation
nRilt you f,A
klciDs |