The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1921-09-10
A SOUTH AMERICAN DISPUTE.

| A SOUTH AMERICAN DISPUTE.
| Seven years ago bolivia and Chill
entered into treaty by which the
former eeded tya provinces to the
latter. Now Bolivia asks the interven-
ton of the league sof nations to secure
Ia revision Of that treaty. Chill OBJ,
jects on the ground that it is purely
an American affair and interference
from Europe is forbidden by the Mon
Iroe doctrine Bolivia replies that she
ccnsulted the chancellery of the Unit
ed States in regard to the matter and
had decided that the mediation of the
league of nations WIS not incompat-
li5le with the Monroe doctrine. Both
| countries are members of the league
Iof nations mad yet neither asserts that
the dispute can go before that league
Iif disposition would be Incompatible
with the Monroe doctrine says the
Florida Times Union.
If it is conceded that the league of
nations cannot take cognizance of
American affairs why did any Amer
| ican nations become members? Sure
Fly they were not expecting disputes
between American nations S to af-
Ifairs in Mesopotamia or Bulgaria.
What question: could arise between
American nations except American
questions and why should American
nations enter the league which can
not decide any questions in which
they are interested?
/ The inducements that drew them
| into the league were various When
the majority of them entered it they
took it for granted that the United
States would be "a member, but some
have entered 1t since it was reason
ably certain that this country would
mot become a members. The smaller
nations were tempted with the bait of
national equality-they would be as
big as France or Italy in the league,
as big as the United States If IL should
enter. Others that felt they had pop
ulatiop and power enough to be con-
Isidered among the self reliant nations
of the earth did not ask the United
States and would not submit to dicta-
| ton from this country II the Monroe
doctrine interfered with their pur-
poses.
We cannot see how the Monroe doc
trine can be strained to cover this
case. Nobody is threatening to ex-
tend the European systems to this
| continent. Nobody is threatening the
invasion by Europeans OF any nation
of this continent. The league of ma
tons Is said TO be mere debating
society---why not let Ii debate to its
hearts content, and why limit the
subjects that 1t may debate?
>But II submission TO the league OF
nations presumed the application OF
armed force for the settlement of the
dispute ar IL European nations fur,
aished the force 1t would Def urnish-
ed in behalf of an American nation
and with nd design of acquiring terri
tory on this continent for any Eu.
ropean nation II could not endanger
the United States.
But the Monroe doctrine has grown
In the minds of some--let us hope not
in the minds of the responsible Off
cials of our government-to the point
where II would make OF Uncle Sam
la big bully determined TO dominate
/ entirely the affairs of the western con-
tinent IL was not announced whit
such a purpose and such purpose
I, would be entirely foreign to the spirit
of our government and to its tradi-
| tons Such a purpose would array
against the United States every self
respecting nation of South America,
for il would seek to make of them all
I mere dependencies of the United
States. There are nations in South
America now that would not tamely
submit to snch position of inferior
ity and others are increasing rapidly
in wealth and population and power
4. :.