Evening star., 1934-11-04
BY GASTON NERVAL.

BY GASTON NERVAL.
THOSE who questioned the other
day at Geneva the right of the
League of Nations to mediate
L in the solution of South Amer
lean controversies, because Of
the existence Of the Monroe Doctrine,
concurred in a double error. First,
they overlooked the fact that the
Monroe Doctrine. as pointed out re-
Gently in this column, not only Is in
conflict with all the modern peace
machinery of the world, but has never
been accepted as the supposed re
gional understanding" of which the
Covenant of the League speaks. And,
second, they disregarded the fact that
even If it had been accepted in that
or a similar manner in the decades
Immediately following its proclama-
ton, the historical conditions which
called it forth have changed COM
pletely and, today. make objectionable
the defense of the original Monroe
Doctrine even by the United States.
The Monroe Doctrine was inaugu-
rated more than 110 years ago. Even
admitting that at that time Latin
America was still unorganized. that
her countries were little republics,
politically negligible, liable to have
their flags and interests trampled
upon, even admitting that the doctrine
then constituted a safeguard. an out
post for their safety and unhampered
internal development (Which must be
IxyitI the truth iS
that we are living today under en-
tirely different conditions than those
which caused the announcement Of
the original doctrine.
Holy alliance, there is none.
European monarchies with imperial
istic designs on Spanish America can
not be conceived. The monarchies
themselves have disappeared, and the
republican governments which have
taken their place are founded upon
principles so different, so thoroughly
opposite to those of the autocratic
consortium the spector of which
frightened President Monroe, that any
danger from the other side Of the
Atlantic seems gone forever.
Protection Unnecessary.
Today, they are not cnly weak re-
publics in Latin America. there are.
also, well-constituted states, the ma
jority of them, which need no longer
the protection of the United States
to look out for their own destinies.
Some people in the United States
still think that the Monroe Doctrine
is indispensable to the safety of the
Latin American republics. These peo-
pie have not heard of a century of
progress in Latin America; cultural,
intellectual, physical, material, eco
nomic, even military progress. They
have not heard of some fundamental
differences between them and the
African colonies which a former
Acting Secretary of State so naively
mentioned in support of the Doctrines
merits. What is even more distressing,
they have not heard of century of
progress in what has been called the
international morale" which would
render today any imperialistic assault
upon a Latin America country, for
the purpose Of territorial conquest, a
challenge to the whole world, to
civilization.
The world has progressed morally
and is still progressing. in spite Of
momentary disappointments. Not even
Japan, with all her might, can have
her outrages in the Far East legalized.
Alienation of world public opinion is
too great price to pay for a mill
taristic adventure in the old-fashioned
way. This, alone, should appease the
fears of those concerned over the fate
of Latin America minus the Monroe
Doctrine"