The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-12-05

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the United States, the Monroe Doc
Urine is Americas most important
land significant contribution to the
well-being and progress Of humanity,
The doctrine itself is not easy to
define. It is not embodied in speci-
fc document like, Magma Charta, the
Virginia Bill Of Rights or the Declar-
alton Of Independence. Even in Pres
ident Monroe's message to congress
of December 2, 1923, in which he first
gives official declaration Of the doc
trine that bears his name, and that
was destined to profoundly influence
the history of mankind for century,
the tenets are not definitely formu-
lated. Rather, President Monroe gave
expression to the idea and the ex-
tigencies of events gave difinition,
force and concrete form to the new
principles of international relation
ship.
To understand the full meaning Of
this tremendously significant doctrine
it is necessary to consider it in the
light Of contemporary events, to see
it in its historical setting. From a
world standpoint it is one Of a series
Of the most dramatic and spectacular
events in human history.
The League of Despots
In May, 1914, Napoleon abdicated
At Waterloo, June Is, 1915, Bone
parties star of destiny set in a sea
of blood. The Napoleonie wars left
Europe demoralized and exhausted.
Dynasties had tottered, nations had
been disrupted, economic and political
institutions were in a state Of
collapse. The fall of Boneparte re-
moved the peril of French imperial
ism, but left the continent in a state
of social, economic and governmental
confusion.
At the Congress of Vienna the vic
tors met to reorganize international
relations, re-establish social and po-
litical institutions and bring order
out of the prevailing chaos.
Twenty years before, the French
Revolution with it's cries Of liberty,
fraternity and equality, its clamor for
justice and democracy, its wild ex-
cesses and resultant anarchy, had
filled the nations with alarm and be-
wilderment. Not a throne in Europe
but had shuddered as a result of the
social cataclysm at Paris. The kings
feared. The oppressed and down.
trodden people hoped.
The demoralized conditions follow
ing Jena, Wagram, Austerlitz and
Waterloo furnished the psychological
moment, the supreme opportunity for
the absolutions of Europe,
At Vienna they met: Alexander,
autocrat Of autocrats, powerful,
proud, domineering; Metternich,
cynical, shifty, INSCRIPTIONS; Tally
rand, too we'll versed in all the du-
bious arts of Machiavellian diploma
ey; Castereagh Of England, narrow,
and partisan, easy dupe Of the crafty
Metternich; and the representatives
Of a dozen lesser powers and princi-
ralities. It was brilliant and mar
velous assembly Of kings, princelings
and diplomats, but such an ill-assort-
ed gathering must inevitably break
up into warning cliques and clashing
antipathies.
The great powers-Russia, Prussia,
Austria and Great Britain, formed
the Quadruple> Alliance to bring about
the reconstruction Of France and as
sure the peace Of Europe by estab-
fishing the ancient laws and institu-
tons. But liberal England could not
continue in an alliance dominated by
Russia, Prussia and Austria, and
when an effort was made to use the
power Of the alliance to crush popu-
lar revolutions in Naples and Spain,
England in 1s19,- withdrew from the
obligations that had become, hateful
to the English people.
The Quadruple Alliance held a con-
ference at Verona in 1922 at which
time King Ferdinand VII of Spain re-
quested aid of the alliance in dealing
with SPANS American colonies, in
rebellion. One of the sentiments
adopted was: "The manarchs (are)
determined on replusing the spirit Of
revolt in whatever place or in what
ever form it might show itself"
Upon the withdrawal Of. England,
the Tsar, the Emperor Of Austria and
the King Of Prussia, now freed from
the restraining hand Of England,
formed what was known as, the Holy
Alliance, to maintain the principles
of absolutism, protect the powers
and prerogatives Of reigning dynas-
ties, and check the rising tide Of Ii
beralism. It's merciless antagonism
to all movements seeking to give the
hurdehed peoples some measure Of re-
lief earned for the alliance the name:
the league of despots.
| Having frustrated the attempt of
. republic in Spain, put down the re-
bellion in Italy, and otherwise sub
dued continental Europe to its will.
the autocratic- alliance turned its eyes
to the American continent where
there was in progress the greatest
Experiment in popular government
land democratic control.
ENCOURAGED by the amazing sue