Evening star., 1933-06-11
OF LETICIA
INCIDENT IS SIGNIFICANT
Geneva Action Clears Up Mistaken Con-
ception of Monroe Doctrine and
Gives League of Nations Teeth.

relations and gave rise to the charges
OF Yankee imperialism and hegemony
In Latin America. Former Secretary
of State Stimson had already restated
the purpose of the Monroe Doctrine
in its original sense, depriving 1t Of all
the corollaries and misinterpretations
Of Monroe's successors. And. only q
Few weeks ago. President Roosevelt had
stressed this change In the views of
the United States. and perfected 1t, by
calling the Monroe Doctrine "a Pam
American doctrine Of continental self
defense
Changed Position of U. s.
But, even If expected. the waving
OF the Monroe DoolR1ne In the Leticia
case involves the Carrying out, in prac-
tlce, OF promises and changes of policy
hitherto only made in diplomatic docu-
menS or after-dinner speeches Of good
VIII. 1t Is the first actual confirmation
OF the abandonment of the mistaken
Monroe Doctrine, which had caused SO
much misunderstanding and suspicion
IN past decades.
And because it is confirmation In
iact, not only in words, it will serve
70 Illustrate the changed position Of
the United States In the eyes of public
opinion-which Is guided only by facts
and has heard little Of the Stimson
or the Roosevelt declarations. Herein
lies the merit of the Leticia accord. In
disregard Of the popular idea of the
Monroe Doctrine. For, even If those
familiar with the history of the Doc
trine-its origins, its Neutrality-suspicious.
and distortions-and those closely fol-
lowing the march of international
events know the present position Of
the United States in reference to the
Monroe Doctrine, the conception of
the Doctrine prevailing in the public
mind has undergone little change.
Public opinion, on both sides of the
Atlantic, Is still under the impression
or was, until the agreement over Leticia
that the ascendency which the United
States attributed to itself in the West
ern Hemisphere. by way of the Monroe
Doctrine, prevented the interference Of
any agency not exclusively American
IN the political affairs Of the New World.
Made Clear to Public.
Naturally only the unparalleled dis
tortion which the Doctrine has suffered
IN the course of its existence made such
a theory possible. So many corollaries
were added, so many and such capri
cious interpretations of it were adopted,
so many abuses committed in its name,
and such an exaggerated stretching of
the original principles Of the Doctrine
was practiced, both by Saxon and Latin
Americans, that the Monroe Doctrine
came to be thought of as giving the
United States the final saying on any
questions affecting the relations of
Latin America with the rest Of the
world.
It Is because this conception-rather
this n1isconception-of the Doctrine
prevailed In the public mind, that OBJ
servers, not only here but In Latin
America as well, were skeptical as to
the efficiency Of the Leagues inter-
vention in purely American dispute
and awaited eagerly to know the posi-
ton Of the United States in the Leticia
affair.
They now know that position. The
State Department has not only in
dorsed the League Intervention, but IL
has even taken q part in assuring its
acceptance by the two interested gov
ernments.
It could not have been otherwise.
The old conception of the Monroe
Doctrine, barring, as il did, the CO.
! operation Of European states in the
| maintenance of South American peace,
was IN conflict with the whole peace
machinery built up since the end Of
the World War. It was Incompatible
with the fundamental nature OF the
League OF Nations, an institution
founded by another President of the
United States. and to which most Of
the Latin American republics belong.
It was made useless BY the Kellogg
BRAND pact for the outlawry Of war.
It was further deprived Of meaning by
the Hoover-Stimson doctrine Of non
recognition Of territorial gains by force.
1t conf1icted with modern arbitration
treaties between European and Latin
American states.
And last, but not least, it was In
compatible with the very essence of
Pan-Americanism-a movement which
has as its corner stone the absolute
equality OF states and for its goal the
preservation Of peace in this part Of
the world.
tcopyrisht. 1933)