Evening star., 1924-03-26
IN TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS

try on this side. of the Atlantic. Not
the original Monroe doctrine, but the
Monroe Roosevelt -Taft-Wilson doc
trine.
In 1904 President Roosevelt under
took TO take over the mana cement
of the finances of the Dominican Re-
public. and in his message TO the
Senate in connection with the pro
posed treaty. he laid down principles
which broadened the Monroe doc
trine. He said:
ANY country whose people con-
duct themselves we'll can count upon
our hearty friendship. If naticn
shows that it knows how to act with
reasonable efficiency and decency in
| social ard political matters if IL
I keeps order and pays its obligations.
it need fear no Interference from the
United States.
Chronic wrongdoing, or an i'm
potence which results in 4 general
locsenjng of the ties Of civilized So
ciety, may, in America as else where
ultimately require intervention by
some civilized nation. and in the
western hemisphere the adherence or
the United States TO the Monroe doc
trinc may force the United States.
however reluctantly, in fragrant cases
Of such WrOngdOing or impotence, to
the extent of an international police
power"
President Taft followed the prin-
ciple of exercising the international
police power" in both Nicaragua. and
Honduras. President WILSON, did
likewise in Haiti, declaring that
well might the states of central
America believe that the MohEp sadoc-
trine in its new Interpretation rrcanc
intervention by the United States to-
prevent Intervention by Europe&
x = =
In 1866 an English firm of Snan-
ciers foated a loan for nona FRA.
based upon s5.0OO0o0 Of Hond1ran
bonds. 1t is said that Honcura4
never. got more than S250.OQ0. af th,
funds, the firm 'auctioning the Sbonds
and bidding them in. No interest
has been paid on the bonds xsince
1872. and the accrued interest now
amounts to $121,e51,O0o The <hond-
holders claim that the bonds give
them lien upon the entire c6lntry-
and all its resources, deyclonSd or
undeveloped, and they refuse Ia con-
sent to any concession to others for
the development of its resources OF
any nature. Numerous attemptShavt.
been made by American Secretaries
oil State--Root and Knox particularly
to refinance the bonds. so as to
take them over from the BTitisi,
holders, but no scheme for doing so
parties
The impossibiity Of HonduraAewith
It's undeyeloped resources. evekA pay
ing either principal or interest rs ap-
parent. There are latent possiAN titles
or trouble between the United $tates
with its nodernized Monroe d9Ntrine
group of New York bankerSe has
loaned Honduras 100000, with thu
customs of the port !, of Cortez
pledged as security. in spite OF the
British assumptions of exclusive
rights to control all income and re-
sources.
Since 1910 there have been six at
| ternpts to federate the five nations OF
Central America into one union. The
| last attempt was made in 1921. at the
| call of Salvador. It failed when it
was disclosed that the anirnatins. i'm
! pulse was jealousy of the Nicaraguan
treaty with the United States con
corning the right TO build the Mica
raguan interoceanic canal with
American naval bases at both ends
of the canal, the United States agree
ing to pay Nicaragua $4,000 900. The
other Central American states wanted
to share in the benefits and professed
| fear of our dominance Though our
naval concessions. Ncara qua re-
fused to join the. federation in the
iEACS " thio JSd'lOusS gunlOn
| fell through. although there was am
! effort to overturn the. Nicaraguam
government by force in order to ere
feet the federation Secretary OF
| State Hughes 'ha-Sexpressed the satti-
tude of the United States as strongly
| favoring such a union, provided it is
/ brought about through the sponta-
| neous consent of the states compos =
ing 1t
Copyright, 1924. By Paul Y. cosItns)