Evening star., 1939-04-15
The Political Mill
Roosevelt Speech Stirs Too Much Wor-ToIk
Criticism on Capitol Hill

OF any and all nations in the West
ern Hemisphere. While the Presi-
dent used different words, the pur-
pose was exactly the same as that of
President Monroe when in 1923 he
sent his message to Congress, tell
ing the nations Of Europe that the
countries IN the American CONT
nents were no longer to be consid-
cred subjects for future coloniza-
ton by any European powers" Pres
ldent Monroe in the same message
said the United States would not
stand for any attempt on the part
OF the then Holy Alliance" to reim-
pose the Spanish yoke on the Latin
American nations in revolt and
whose independence had been rec
ognized by the United States.
President Roosevelt's new state
ment of the Monroe Doctrine comes,
1t is true, at time when the sug-
gestion is made in certain places
that the totalitarian governments
abroad may seek to gain political or
economic control of nations in the
Western Hemisphere. And for that
reason, it will be given further in
depreciation as lining up this coun-
try against the governments of Ger
many and Italy, and on the side of
France and England. And yet no
concrete evidence has been pre-
sented that either Germany or italy
is planning to move into the Amer
lcas. certainly not unless they be-
come involved in war with the
United States. The Presidents state
ment was described as superfluous,
therefore, by some Senators.
1t was another Democratic Presi-
dent of the United States, Grover
Cleveland, who nearly half a CEN
tury ago told Europe that the United
States was prepared to 60 the limit
to sustain the Monroe Doctrine. And
at that time the warning was issued
to Great Britain. The British Gov
ernment, through Lord Salisbury,
refused to arbitrate boundary dis
pute involving Venezuela. He also
declined to accept the principle laid
down in the Monroe Doctrine or
even to admit the Monroe Doctrine
until Grover Cleveland fatly
warned the British that the United
States would use whatever measures
were necessary to uphold it. After
President Cleveland had made him.
self sufficiently plain. the British
Government reconsidered it's stand,
the dispute was arbitrated and the
Monroe Doctrine remained intact.
Curb Has Bipartisan Support.
Senator Bridges of New Hamp-
shire. Republican, has offered
resolution expressing the sentiment
of the Senate against all "inflam-
matory" statements issued by high
officials" Of this Government. In
an accompanying statement Sena-
tor Bridges said he had reference
to things which have been said
by the President, including his re-
cent statement at Warm Springs,
Ga, that he hoped to return next
fall unless we had war. While the
Bridges resolution probably has no
chance whatever Of being acted
upon by the Senate. it is indica-
tive Of the strong feeling that exists
among Democratic Senators as well
as Republican.
Senator George of Georgia stated
explicitly this feeling in the SEN
ate itsef on Thursday. when. after
pointing out that undoubtedly
there has been propaganda in this
country-very widespread propa-
ganda and very subtle in its ma
ture-to get us into war, he said:
Il desire to say that any one,
whether in high or in low place,
who gives assurance to European
nations that this country is ready
to go to war and will go to war,
is simply misleading European ma
tons, because the Congress of the
United States and the American
people have no idea of again en-
gaging in foreign war" The
Georgia Senator predicted that
Congress would not adopt a resolu-
tion to enter into any war abroad.