The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-08-11
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
By FRANK P. LITSCHERT

Students of international affairs in
the United States and elsewhere were
much interested in the news from
- Washington the other day to the eff
feet that nineteen nations of the
Western Hemisphere, including, of
course, the United States, had en-
ployed the Hoover "non-recognition"
doctrine, first heard in the Chinese
Japanese dispute, in an effort to avert
war between the South American re-
publics of Paraguay and Bolivia. The
adoption of this "non-recognition"
doctrine by the leading powers of the
Western Hemisphere, if permanent,
will 20 a long way toward ending all
imperialistic adventures in this west
ern world.
The last paragraph of the note
dispatched to the two governments,
which are at this writing on the verge
of war, reads:
"The American nations further de-
clare that they will not recognize any
territorial arrangement of this con-
troversy which has not been obtained
by peaceful means, nor the validity OF
territorial acquisitions which may be
obtained through occupation or con-
quest by force of arms"
k**
According to news dispatches, the
adoption of this now famous doctrine
for the purposes Of the Western
World was perfected in the diplomatic
room of the Department of State at
Washington where the representa-
tives of nineteen nations had gather
ed in an effort to prevent war from
breaking out on the South Ameri-
can continent. AS the United Press
puts it "they realize no doubt that
they were making history-laying
down a policy which may take its
place beside the Monroe doctrine"
***
The application of the doctrine
was made at the time for the reason
that the bone of contention between
Bolivia and Paraguay is the Gran Cha
co territory which is claimed by both
countries. The bit of territory is a
typical tropical jungle but is said to
be strategically important to both
nations which covet it as a part of
their particular domain, and deny the
title of the other country to any part
of it.
Aside from the application of this
doctrine to the present dispute, the
fact that it was drawn up in the State
Department at Washington, under the
inspiration of the administration of
the United States, ought to silence
for all time the cheap cries of dema-
gogues in the United States and pol
iticians in Europe to the effect that
Uncle Sam is pursuing an imperialis-
tic policy in his dealings with the
other American nations. If this pol
icy of refusing to recognize any terri
torial arrangement based on force,
is made the established policy for
settling territorial disputes in the
Western Hemisphere, it ought to set
at rest any charges of imperialistic
designs on the part of the United
States, - ''-
It can be taken for granted that the
United States is the most powerful
nation in the Western Hemisphere.
The United States above all other
western nation has the power, if it
so desired, to grab off by forceful
means, additional territory on Ehe
American continent. The fact that
it does not do SO, coupled with the
fact that it sponsors policy of not
recognizing territorial claims estab-
lished by force of arms, is the best
evidence that we harbor no appres-
sive ambitions in the Western Hemis-
phere, or elsewhere. These facts es-
tablish complete answer to the pink
and yellow assaults occasionally
made on Uncle SAM charging him
with being an "imperialist" among
nations.