The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-09-07
Will United States Influ-
enee Southern Republics
to Withdraw?
THEY EXPECTED
u. S. WOULD JOIN
Possibly This Comtry Would Like to
Have Brazil stay In Council to Pro-
tect American Interests-Aiembershi
May Embarrass Monroe DOstrine.
By DAVID LAWRENCE
Special Dispatch to The Reformer)


WASHINGTON, Sept. - Irrespec
tive of whether the absence of several
Latin America states from the meeting
OF the assembly of the league of nations .
at Geneva, Switzerland, TINS week was
a concerted move, the incident has
served to accentuate the fact that the !
United states government must sooner
or later make plain to its neighbors be-
low the Rio Grande whether Washing
ton looks with active, disfavor or pas
sfvc favor on the continued participa-
zion IL the league Of the other repub-
lies of the Americas.
The Central and South American
countries joined the league on the ex-
pectation that the Unneq States would,
| OF course. be a member. They now lind
| the Washington government not only
absolutely divorced from the league but
| Saying through its Official spokesman,
Ambassador George harvey, that the
| United States viii not deal directly or
/ indirectly with the league. To those ma
| tions OF Central and South America
which imagine that they must follow
| the United States on European policy
this Is plain sign TO abstain. As Tor
other nations like Brazil and Chile
which have followed a '>arn or less IN
] dependent foreign policy it will take
eomething more than vague hint TO
lbrinr about their withdrawal from the
lleagIe. B"azil, for example, Is mem
her of the council of the league and by
1.-THE unanimous consent rule can block
iany procedure inimical to this hemls-
Iub6re Indeed, some observers have sus
pccted that the Harding administration
might rot be avprse to the presence OF
| Brazil in the council because that coun
TRY IS tie closest friend the United
! states has in this hemisphere and tile
intimacy between RIO de Janeiro and
| Washington is such that the United
States would never suffer BY reason of
] B-a2il's MEMBERSHIPS in the league.
| May Cause Embarrassment
/ There is another and perha~e more
vital aspect to the, whole business OF
/ Latin America membership in the
league of nations which means sooner
OF later considerable embarrassment FOR
the United States. Latin-American
countries are by TO means unit as to
i What Is best policy for them to pursue
i toward Europe The Monroe. Doctrine
EmeaAs OF protecting small states in this
hemisphere from European aggression
la, been pariously interpreted by Dem
ocrat.c and Republican, administrations
all the way from absolute non-interfer
ence in the domestic affairs of neigh
Lag stick and the seuding of forces OF
the United States for police purposes
This uncertainty of Interpretation has
, been The single thorn in the side of bet
ter relations between Iatin-Amerlca
land the United States and Just whef
il appeared that the United States wa,
! er3sing previous impressions of al
legged Imperialism, tho Republican
E iuastv absolutely refused to allow tn,
4 Monroe Doctrine to be included within
: the scope of the league of nations. To
!. Latin America this meant a coniirma
ton of its fear that the United State,
wanted 10 be free at any time 10 wielC
q, the big stick. TO the Republicans II
meant simply free hand in this hem
II isphere and non interference by Europa
IN our Central and South American af
e fairs.
Could Appeal Against L. S.
e But even with the United States out
l side of the league of nations, the Oh
? po1tunity still remains for any Latin
e American state to appeal to the leagu
as against the United States and in
6 woke, for instance, the jurisdiction o
! the world court This would of cours
? be irritating to the United States an,
2 would con9licate matters very much
: fIhe Harding administration had no;
\ been in power a hours when Panam.
e and Costa Rica were taking of submit
ting the dispute to the league and it i
: a fact that Secretary Hughes aete,
:, promptly so as to warn the league j
: had better keep hands off.
: Although there il every profession O
respect toward the league az an inter
national body, the attitude of tia
United States must eventually be de
6ncd as one of active hostility or pas
Il sive Indifference. The latter has beef
the apparent. attitude until the new
came that Latin American states wer
/ ignoring the meeting of the ASSEMBLE
Q of the league. 1t is denied here that tn
d | United States coerced any Latin Ameri
: can members either directly o. indi
r rectly to abstain from participation il
The league. But one thIng Is certain
d | however. while the diplomacy of Wash
n ingon will have to keep busy prevent
@ ing I.atip-American states from draw
mo too close to Eurone through TIN
e league, those same Latin-Americal
f states would in the iudgIuent of diplo
n mats here would b. foolish to withd-aV
5 from a. organization which affords tn
: only refuge from the effects of an ex
$ frcme Interpretation of the Monro
;. poet rine Some latin states nav nul
nuts of the league but it is doubtful j
chile and Brazil or Peru will do like
wise
On SATURDAY this week. Paramount
feature production. Bronze Bell" will