Evening star., 1933-03-05
BY GASTON NERvAL.

BY GASTON NERVAL.
A s Franklin Delapo Roosevelt is
~ inaugurated Chief Executive of
~ the United States, the eyes Of
4 \ political students from the five
parts of the globe are centered
on Washington.
Latin America Is no exception to the
rule. Down on the other side of the
Rio Grande lie 20 independent re-
publics which, because of geographic
propinquity, historical antecedepts and
economic factors, are intimately con-
cerned with the political destinies of
the United States
For obvious political and economic
reasons. these 20 American republics
Of Latin origin are particularly inter-
ested in the answers to certain ques-
tons in the field of foreign affairs
which the presidential Inauguration
has brought to the hmelight.
Three Major Questions.
As far as the relations Of the United
States with Latin America are con-
cerned, such major questions are three:
First: Will the new administration
uphold the radical changes introduced
In the State Departments Latin Ameri-
SoA1 PO1ASJ xlOOFcT dllQ
ing the past four years?
Second: How will the Roosevelt
government tackle those Latin Ameri-
can problems standing out today which,
because of their immediate seriousness
and their emergency nature, require at
once the attention Of the State De-
partment?
Third: Will the new administration
carry out its promises of more equitable
customs tariffs, and thus restore inter-
American trade, almost extinct today?
As for the first question, only time
can tell whether the new administra-
ton will follow in the footsteps Of the
Hoover-Sttmson record, which has de-
parted completely from the traditions
and principles Of previous Republican
and Democratic administrations. Or
whether it will revert to the old pa
ternahstic attitude of Woodrow Wilson.
who, as have said before, had much
IN common, in this respect with Theo-
dore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft
and Calvin Coolidge.
OF course, Latin Americans hope
that the former be the case. For the
first time in many years they have
seen their views recognized, under Sec
retary Stimson, and they have had a
chance to welcome certain changes in
the Latin American policy of the State
Department which revealed a greater
respect for their sovereignty than pre-
vious administrations had shown.
-Four Major Innovations.
The major innovations introduced by
Hoover and Stimson in the Latin
American policy of Uncle Sam, to which
I have referred repeatedly in the past
few months, are four.
The first was recorded when Sec
retary Stimson, confronted by the re-
currence Of rebel activities in Mica
ragua, issued communique announc-
ing that the United States would not
protect with armed forces the safety
or property Of American citizens in the
interior Of Nicaragua, and recommend
ing "all Americans who do not feel
secure under the protection afforded
them by the Nicaraguan government,
through the Nicaraguan National
Guard, to withdraw from the country"
This announcement, a complete de-
parture from the big stick" policy of
Theodore Roosevelt or the protection
istic theories Of Calvin Coolidge. was
a concession to the Latin Americans
aim of non-interference with their do
mestic affairs. The Secretary added:
There is today an established gov
eminent in Nicaragua, and it is the
exclusive task of this Government to
avoid and punish the attacks coming
from a small group of rebels
Later on, In accordance with this
view, and carrying out his own pledge.
Secretary Stimson withdrew the last
U. S. Marines, who had been asked to
remain on Nicaraguan soil to supervise
the 1882 presidential election.
Abandoned Wilson Theory.
The second change was recorded
when Secretary Stimson announced the
reversion of the State Department to
the old Jeffersonian principle of rec
ognition of de facto governments. This
meant an abandonment of the So
called Wilson theory, which implied
more or less a passing upon the in
ternal problems OF Latin American
countries by the United States.
The Wilson theory-denying recog-
milton to governments born OF revolu-
ton, that is, denying the Latin Amerl-
cans the right to revolt-was consid-
cred by them as tantamount TO oe-
nial of self-government.
Instead, Secretary Stimson announced
that now "any government which Is the
expression of popular WILL even II born
of revolution and which is able to assure
internal order and protection to foreign
lives and property, will be recognized by
the United States"
In accordance with such policy
much more in harmony with accepted
principles of national sovereignty and
self-government-an number of de facto
regimes have been recognized during the
past four years.
The third change was in the State
DEPARTMENTS new Interpretation OF the
Monroe Doctrine, most outstanding OF
all American problems. Twice,
official representatives of the depart
ment presented the Monroe Doctrine in
its true light, stripped of all the corol-
laries and misinterpretations which
have transformed the original defensive
policy OF President Monroe into an ag-
gressive weapon to cloak the excesses of
the big brother" in the Caribbean zone.
Regulated Old Theories.
Secretary Stimson. first, and then
Undersecretary Castle, repudiated the
theories Of Theodore Roosevelt, Lansing,
Taft, Coolidge and Kellogg, justifying
the Intervention Of the United States in
Latin America As an outgrowth of self
imposed rights and duties inherent in