Evening star., 1932-07-03
PLATFORM NEGLECTED
LATIN AMERICAN POLICY
G. o. p. Authors Forgot Achievements
of Present Administration in Gaining
Good Will of 20 Republics.

{ conferences dealing WIN economic ana
cultural aspects of Pan-Americanism,
etc
All these improvements in inter-
American relations we're made poSSi-
bic only by the friendly interest cf the
/ Government at Washington. But they
do not make up all the Latin Ameri-
can record of the present administra-
ton. The most important gains have
been secured, naturally enough, through
political pronouncementS and acts al
fecting the very principles involved in
Pan-Americanism.
Three Outstanding Changes.
Three are the outstanding changes
in the Hoover -StimSoh policy toward
Latin America The first one was re-
corded when Secretary Stimson. moved
by the recurrence of rebel activities in
Nicaragua, issued an official commu-
nique announcing that the United States
would not protect with armed force the
property Of American citizens menaced
/ by Nicars guam bandits. He further de-
clared that the Government of the
United States cannot undertake gen.
eral protection Of Americans through
out that country with Ameri. an forces
and recommended ali Americans who
do not feel secure under the protection
afforded them by the Nicaraguan gov
ernment through the Nicaraguan Ma
tional Guard to withdraw from the
countrv"
This announcement was a recogni-
tlon of the Latin AraericaEs' theory ID
non interference Eith their donaes.s.-
affairs. 1t was the first time that
such recognition was officially made
1t Is easy to understand the favorable
reception it met When Secretary
Stimson repeated that those who re-
main do so at their own risk and
must not expect American forces to
be sent inland to their aid" and when
he added There is today an estab-
lished government in Nicaragua. and
1t Is the exclusive task of this govern
ment to avoid and punish the attacks
coming from small group of rebels
who are treated as outlaws bv the
Nlcaraguan authorities" he was pay
ing tribute to the sovereignty of a
small but independent Central Ameri-
can republic which for years had been
claiming her right to govern herself.
Inc second change, and one which
produced similar rejoicing in Latin
American public opinon was recorded
IN another communique from Secretary
Stimson in which he announced the
reversal of the State Department ia
the old Jeffersonian policy Of recogni-
tlon OF revolutionary governments This
meant an abandonment OF the so-called
wilson theory, which implied more or
less passing upon the internal prob
lens OF Latin American countries by
the United States.
Latins Resented Wilson Policy.
The Wilson theory, denying recogni-
ton to Latin American governments
( born Of revolution-that is denying
the Latin Americans the right to re-
yolt-was considered by them as tam
tamount to a denial of self-govern-
ment and had, therefore, created con-
siderable Ill will against the United
States.
Instead. Secretary Stimson announced
that now amy government which is
the expression of popular will, even ii
born Of revolution, and which is able
to assure internal order and protec-
ton to foreign lives and property, will
be recognized by the United States"
1t is according to this policy that a
number of new regimes which had used
violence to end dictatorial rules and
establish more democratic governments
in Latin America were recognized DUR
ing 1880 and 1881. Such a policy in
dicated treatment of the Latin Ameri-
can nations more in accordance with
their ideals of national sovereignty and
self-government than previous admin
istration had shown.
Finally. another attitude of the State
Department which has lately COM
manded Latin American approval is its
recent and new Interpretation of the
Monroe Doctrine, most outstanding of
all inter- American problems
Twice during 1881 official representa-
tives Of the United States presented the
Monroe Doctrine in its true light and
scope, deprived of all the additions,
corollaries and neutrality-suspicious. which
had transformed the original defensive
policy OF Monroe into an aggressive
principle to justify the intervention Of
the United States south of the Rio
Grande
Secretary Stimson. first and then
Undersecretary Castle, repudiated the
theory advanced by Roosevelt, Knox.
Lansing ard Coolidge that the Monroe
Doctrine imposed upon the United
States the right, if not the duty. of in
tervention in. end policing Of. the
Caribbean. The State Department
spokesmen stressed that "the Monroe
Doctrine states a case of the United
/ States versus Europe and not of the
/ United States against Latin America"
All these acts gave clearly the i'm
preston that the policy of non-inter-
ference" promised by President Hoover
during his pre-inaugural tour of South
America had substituted the arrogant
and troublesome attitude of previous
administrations. 1t is the appearance
Of this new policy which MANY years
ago had been advocated by Elihu Root,
that has gained the good will Of Latin
Americans toward the United States in
political matters during the past four
years.
And it is this good will Of the 20
Latin republics on the other side of the
Rio Grande that the authors of the
3 Republican platform forgot to empha-
size as one of the major achievements
/ Of the present administration in its
/ foreign policies.
/ OF course. thev also forgot to mention.
/ the contrary effect which. in the eeo-
nonic field, the high Republican tariffs
/ had. But they cannot be blamed for
/ forgetting that.
Copyright. 1922