Evening star., 1933-09-17
LATIN AMERICAN CONCERN
ABOUT u. 8. In CUBA CRAVE
Roosevelt's Innovation Of inviting Views
of Neighbor Nations Pleasing hu,
Intervention Proves Unpopular.

sentiment and suspicion, the 0npTece-
dented move Of President RoossveH in
provoking this sem1-consultatiou With
the Latin American governments must
have had great significance. This time,
at least, the sincerity Of the "Northe1u
Colossus intentions cannot be Ques-
toned.
OF course, all the grounds for COM
plaint have not yet been removed.
Intervention is still possibility, even
If disliked. The American Ambassador
Is still playing role somewhat beyond
the mere routine Of his diplomatic
duties. And the presence of the Ameri-
can Fleet in Havana Harbor may have
been an uncalled-for display of force
which has no place in regular usageS
of international law. But, granting all
that, the most casual student of inter-
American relations cannot fail to rec
ognize the differences between this pol
| Icy OF preventive measures and diplo-
matte mediation and the traditional
policy which took the armed forces of
the United States in times of peace to
Panama. the Dominican Republic,
Haiti, Nicaragua and Mexico in the
past 80 years. 1t is not at all VEN
turesome to imagine that if the policy
Of hegemony and the big stick had
still been in vogue today, at the first
outbreak Of violence in Cuba-certainly
az the withdrawal of Machado-Ameri-
can bluejackets and Marines would
have landed in Havana, taken the sit
uation well in hand" and proceeded
to pick a new government for the
Cubans, to help the Cubans to help
themselves" as former Secretary Knox
would say. And in doing so they would
probably have invoked, not the Platt
amendment, which gives them author
1ty to do 1t, but the worn-out. distorted,
misinterpreted Monroe Doctrine, which
has invariably been the cloak for past
mistakes.
Right Provided by Treaty.
Fundamental as the innovation is,
viewed from the whole record of pan
American relations, it appears only
logical to those who have been observ-
ing the principles and the motives
guiding the present administration in
the field of foreign affairs and in par
ticular its Latin American policy. No
BODY doubts, OF course, the right of the
United States to intervene in Cuba for
the maintenance of "a government ade-
quate for the protection of life, prop
erty and individual liberty" This right
is provided by treaty, and has been
incorporated into the constitution Of
Cuba. Cuba is the one country-and
eAAAo11ld ID lA1C OIilcl-"llcIe hll6IlCdIl
intervention can be justified from the
legal point of view
Yet 1t is plain that if this right
to intervene-which was secured by
statesmen who had different ideas
about the whole subject-were to be
exercised by the present administration,
it would appear in fragrant contradic-
ton of its chief doctrine in foreign
affairs: President Roosevelt's policy Of
the good neighbor. A good neighbor"
certainly would not be expected to in
tervene' in his neighbor's domestic
quarrels and try to teach them by force
how to run their own show. 1t would
also appear in conflict with President
RooSevelts theory of non n-aggression,
which he submitted to the world at
large few months ago, suggestiong
that the moment a state sent its armed
forces beyond its borders it should be
considered an aggressor. 1t would be
Incompatible moreover, with the Presi-
dents plans for closer commercial re-
lationships with Latin America. COM
mercial matters being subject to good
will and state of mind which would
not be helped by hurting Latin Ameri-
can pride, overSenSitive about QueS-
tions involving sovereignty and self
government. It would. finally, collide
with the hopes of the present admins
tration to cash in the sympathies Gre
ated by its heretofore successful Latin
American policy at the forthcoming
Pan American Conference at Monte
video.
The replies of the Latin American
chiefs of state to President Roosevelt
reveal the dangerous possibilities Of the
problem. Not one of the replies 50 far
known has failed to emphasize the
spontaneous declaration of the United
States that it is reluctant to intervene
in Cuba, and to approve warmly Of that
attitude. Latin America, in one voice,
while welcoming and applauding the
new position taken by Washington, has
seize the opportunity to reiterate her
adherence of Intervention and her
heartfelt wishes that It be avoided.
1t may be difficult for the American
newspaper reader of 1888 to understand
why Latin Americans should be so fear
full of Intervention at this time, when
Washington itself hates the word A
study of the past three decades of inter-
American relations will help him much.
Copyright. 1881