Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-09-08
Monroe Doctrine
Bobs Up in Talk
League Assembly

! Geneva, Sept. 7-(By the Asso-
ciated Press)-The Monroe Doctrine
and the competency of the League
/ of Nations in American que stlons
and in cases where one party TO a
| treaty asks Intervention to secure
revision were the principal subjects
of discussion and out of the assem-
bly, of the league today. The dis
cussions were provoked by the de-
mand of Bolivia that the assembly
iput on the agenda the proposed re-
vision of the treaty of 1904 between
Chile and Bolivia. whereby the lat
ter ceded to Chile the provinces OF
| Tacna and africa.
The debate began at the morning
session of the assembly despite all
efforts to keep the subject off the
! floor by the league leaders, who
| feared that a serious situation might
! be created by such debate. A can
,ass of the principal delegations
showed that large majority of the
assembly is against establishing a
precedent that the League may in
| terfere TO revise treaties, particular
! ~ treaties of peace.
! At the same time there is strong
/ feeling that it is dangerous for the
prestige of the league not TO he able
| to consider questions such as raised
| by Bolivia. in which there are feat
ures OF the case that in the opinion
! Of some of the delegates, would seem
10 justify arbitration. Besides most
OF the delegates are dlsinciined TO
welcome at this time a debate in
which the Monroe Doctrine is In
voked in a manner which virtually
calls for an Interpretation of the
: Leagues competency in matters
supposed to be covered by that doe
trine.
/ Augustin Edwards, representing
/ Chfte. argued that Tacna africa was
, purely an American affair and thai
! the Monroe Doctrine applied IN no
sense to European states, nor could
the league of nations interfere IN
such matter.
! Senior Aramayo, for Bolivia, in
! formed The Associated Press that
/ the chancellery of the United States
had been consulted regarding Boil
Was application to the league be
: fore il was submitted and had de-
! cided that mediation by the league
was not Incompatible with the Mon
| roe Doctrine.
Arthur J. Balfour, of Great Brit
! ain. Lord Robert Cecil, who repre-
! scnts South Africa. and President
/ Van karnebeek. failed TO keep the
: debate off the floor: they were sue
! cessful only in securing the consent
of the Bolivian and Chilean delega
tons to let the matter rest after the
presentation of their cases until the
delegates should be able to study the
documents The question will come
UP again unless Bolivia withdra WIS
its request.
The situation in which an unsat
isfactory issue to either adversary
will put the league has revived spec
ulation as to the proposed modifl-
cations of the covenant with proNi-
sion for regional leagues with liai-
sons between them. This plan. pro-
posed by NJ. Bech, of Czeehoslovakia,
/ will come up at an early date before
the committee on amendments.
There is considerable support for
this proposal. many Of the delegates
believing that only thus can the league
work effectively without being ham
pcred by regional understandings be-
tween individual states.
The absence of the Central Ameri-
can delegates, as well as representa-
tives Of Peru. continue 10 preoccupy
the league leaders. who, however. MIN
imize the effect. They still hope for
late arrivals and places have been re-
served on all six committees Of the
assembly for the absent delegations.
1t is announced that Peru has a repre-
sentative here but the accredited del
cgates have mot yet arrived
The committees of the assembly be-
gan their work this afternoon and
will sit daily. The first act of the
committee on amendments was to re-
ject the amendment proposed by Ar
gentna that all sovereign states
should 10 members of the league IN
less they voluntarily abstained from
membership. 1t was on this question
that the Argentine delegation with
drew from the first assembly.
Nh VrUUrr,