The Washington herald., 1920-03-03

Salvador as Spokesman.
It snow some weeks sine
Latin-America's voice bccam(
significantly articulate, internal
tionally. In December the tim,
Central American republic coul
rageously asked former Secretard
OF State Lansing for America
present-day Interpretation of thj
Monroe Doctrine.
The American answer had ~
be pressed for, more than once
before it was given. Only a few
days ago Americas official def
milton was sent to the Salvador
legation here.
The State Department de6ned
the Doctrine both in the term
OF President Monroe and tbose
OF President Wilson. To the letter
OF the formers definition was
added the spirit of the Iatter,s
january, 1916. address to the
fan-American Congress.
Latin America for Le.<ue.
some Latin American repuh,;c-.
nave already adopted the treaty -
versailles thereby becoming mem
hn.
oers OF the league of nsttop..
others like Salvador, have effb-~
otncially or unoffciaIly sienf0.n
their intention of enterinr e.
league.
South and Central American rp-
puollcs declare that their act,on.
90 not depend essentially upon tba
treatys ratification or rejection hv
the Senate or the, American oen.
pie. Their dipipu3scy Is bssed nna, !,
the possibility that they are saiIInr
or could sail between the cbarvhas.
Oh europe and the ScylIa Of The
| United States. INC
|, Inc league is regarded as a nrn.
.ecuon against any undemocratic
eneerprlse OF the Washington rov-
eIhInent, aiming toward the Soptb
on the other hand, the Monroe doc.
.rine, they feel, would tend to nro-
tect tnem against any European i'm
perlailsm in Latin America.
therefore, South and Central
american Republics either have
Joined or are ready to Join the
/ league after having Consulted
tnelr own interests" But, simuIta- :
neousiy, they wish Americas defini-
lon or the Monroe doctrine to enter
into international right as the good
measure of their protection.
Senate Ignores Issue.
| Inc Senate in considering the
treaty has ignored it's real Latin :
american angles. The Latin-Amer-
lean argument for ratification has
never lifted its suggestive head
above the fogs of Senatorial debate
| nevertheless, ther are grave. even
alarming possibilities in the present
dlnerence between the two Amer
lcas. AS members of the league.
Latin American Republics pledge
| themselves to follow the dictates OF
the leagues council
should existing condition endure.
they could even be led to partici- :
pate in a possible war against the
! United States. This last statement
is neither "a false alarm nor q
crazy one. but the calm utterance
of reputable Latin-American dip
| lomatist. =
In diplomatic opinion, the debate
in the Senate has seldom probed. on
either side, to the heart of the sit
/ uation. Surfaces have often been
skinned. but depths very rarely
sounded, it Is thought.
! But indications are that Americas 8
latest definition to the Monroe Doc
! trfne viii soon enter into Senate de.
bate. Advocates of the treaty az
| well as opponents are anxious &c
! see how the President has made the
| document dovetail with the league.
Europe Recognised Doctrine.
All Latin-American republics be-
! lieve that the President in the
treaty of Versailles for the FIRST
time persuaded the world to recog-
nize the Monroe doctrine. This az
bottom changed the whole status
| of the document, because Latin
America has never officially accept
ed it-and doesn't now.
In the past Latin-American diplo.
macy simply 'let 1t CO." accepting
its advantages without comment
and protesting against any disad-
vantages. Sometimes the doctrine
| admittedly has had it's Latin-Amer.
lean advantages, as lin the Mexican
case of Maximillian.
Before the conference of Paris
Europe was inclined to challenge
the Monroe doctrine or face IL with
an equivocal front. Previously, Eng.
land and other European nationi
had occasionally ignored its very
existence.
In view of the present tsate Of
things, Latin America has been Of
ficially anxious to learn just what
this Monroe Doctrine Is, which has
been recognized. Such knowledge
allegedly, was needed for the
proper regulation of South Amer
ica's and Central Americas foreign
affairs.
| Carranza Files Complaint