Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-06-24
Today,s Letter Takes Up

States would regard any attempt u
their part to overthrow an
ent state in the Western HemlspneIS
as against the interest OF the Onrr.1H
houn and others thought that sucn
declaration and policy would eertalnly
involve us in many wars.
What has beer the result? For now
nearly a century, the Monroe Doctrlne
has been maintained inviolate through
a constant assertion of 1t by succeeu-
ing administrations and without mr.
ing a shot or the loss of a single SOL
der. During the Civil War, Napoleon
the III did attempt to violate 1t by set
ting up Macmillan in Mexico as an
Emperor. As soon as our were
free, however, and we were apie 10
send Sheridan with an army 10 q
Mexican border, Napoleon Withdrew
his French troops and Macmillan col
lapsed. If such a threat by the United
States alone. not always so strong as
she now Is, maintained inviolate a dec
laration like the Monroe Doctrine for
a century,, it follows a fortior1 mat
the declaration of the League uniting
the power of the world in proposed
maintenance of a similar doctrine Will
be equally effective, and that 1t VIII
not involve the members of the Lea
que in any more wars than we have
been involved in by reason of the
Monroe Doctrine
VIII IL Retard Progress?
Finally, it is objected to Article x
hat it Is too rigid, that progress OF the
world may need Encouragement or
boundaries. an enlargement of one
country and a reduction of another or
the creation of new states. Article x
does not forbid changes in boundaries
or the enlargement or reduction or
states or the establishment of new
states. All that it forbids is the TAX
ing of territory by force from a mem
Der of the League, or overthrowing us
government by violence. Article x
does not protect any nation against
internal disturbance. rebellion or revo-
luton. 1t does not prevent the divis-
ion of states by these The OBJ
lection assumes that war by n ex-
listing nation upon another is neces-
sary to the progress of the world to Sc
cure useful changes in boundary. We
need not deny nat a war of agrees
sion may achieve a useful end. but the
basis upon which the League rests Is
that such advantages are outweighed
by the suffering in modern war and
the possibility that a small war may
lead to a general war and an enor-
nous damage to civilization. The eff
fort in the formulation of the present
treaty is to make just boundaries and
the effect of Article x will doubtless
be to maintain those boundaries. in SO
far as to prevent foreign aggression
from affecting them.
Ireland Not Affected.
The suggestion that Article x was
intended to bring to the aid of Great
Britain the power of h United States
to a revolution in Ireland is
of course wholly unfounded, because a
revolution in ireland would not be an
attack upon the territorial integrity
or political independence of Great
Britain by external aggression.
The insinuation against Article x
Great Britain secured 1t in order
to get the aid of the United States n
other members of the League to defend
and protect her far-dung empire" is
also without basis. Nc war In the last
century has been begun against Great
Britain to take away territory from
her. Neither she nor the United
States would feel called upon to in
woke the defense of the League to
their boundaries. They can
defend themselves. No other state is
to attack them, with the pur-
pose of violating Article x. The reason
for Article x is the protection or
weaker nations against stronger ones.
Great nations are seldom attacked ex-
cent in a case Of a conspiracy X
that of the present war, and when
such conspiracy exists all of the mem
bers of the League will be anxious to
join in its suppression. Article x Is
one of the greatest steps orward pro-
vided in the League for the securing or
general peace.