The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-24

the Latin American republics; attrib- utable to sources unfriendly to the cnited States. having for it's purpose the spreading of the idea that with the membership in the League of Nations and the guaranteed protection of all the member states therein the smaller countries of the western hemisphere were in a position to declare them selves free from any dependence upon the United States of the north. It is useless to deny that many South Amer jeans all would have resented the air of paternalism with which they are viewed by many North Americans.
 President Harding has been conscious of all thas from the first, and even prior to his inauguration he had determined to cultivate the good will of the sis ter American republics. He announced among other things that he would like to pick the very best men available for the South American diplomatic posts. It was rather unexpected that he would make these appointments be- fore any other, but Col, George Harvey was selected for the court of St. James, and Myron T. Herrick for Paris before time had been given for further con sideration of the South American am hassadorships and ministerial appoint ments
 HARDING'S SHREWD MOVE
 MT. Harding believes that the right men in South America and Central America can do much to win back the allegiance and friendship of the Latins. In line with his general policy, he was quick to accept the opportunity to go 10 New York as the guest of the Venezuelan mission and speak at the dedication of the Bolivar statue MT. Harding let 1t be known at that time that while he objected strenuously to Article of the covenant of the League of Nations which would guar antee all nations against external az gression, the United States was pre- pared to fight for the Monroe Doctrine extending the same guarantee to the American republics. This militant ex- oression of the Monroe Doctrine was calculated to make the republics of this hemisphere realize that their we'll being after all is tied up with the United States rather than i'll their new membership in the untried and appar- ently faulty League of Nations.
 Another step in Mir. Hardings effort 10 counteract European and League of Nations influence in South and Cen tral America was his insistence that the Colombian treaty be ratified giv- 'nG Colombia $25, 900, 900 for the taking If the Panama Canal zone. This was
 V NOHNiICO EpOuLu AHlGTlCa LnaI the United States is determined. after some years. to be scrupulously just.
 THINKS THEY'LL QUIT LEAGUE
 The President, it is said, believes it will be an easy matter to get the Latin Americans away from the idea that the League of Nations has superseded the Monroe Doctrine. In the first place, It is only fair to say that the small republics went into the league with the firm belief that the. United States would carry out the Wilson pledge to join. The positions of the govern ments towards these governments has been rather difficult, but had joined the league, most of them had to live up fully to their obligations.
 The official statement from the sec retariat of the League of Nations on the Costa Rican-P Panama affair proves rather conclusively that the league council and officials feel they have a perfect right to intervene in disputes between American states that are members of the league. and virtually all are. The statement declares that the dispute between Panama and Costa Rica threatened immediately to de- velop from a small local frontier dis pute into broad issue Involving the confused relationship between the United States and the League of Ma tions." There were indications, it is added that full blown hostilites were on the point of breaking out between the two states, which were not only members of the league but which were affected first by the Monroe Doctrine and second and still more intimately by the American attitude as regards Central America
 BOTH STATES BOUND
 But both states" the official an- nouncement continues. were bound by a solemn undertaking to which they with 46 other states had subscribed. to