The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1947-05-02

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surfing to the American people is to
assume that they are incredibly stupid
or alarmingly forgetful To be reas-
sured by mention of the Monroe Doc
trine requires that the American peo-
pie have forgotten what the Monroe
Doctrine is and what happened be-
cause of it.
Before we examine the kinship of
the two doctrines let us re-eXamine
the Monroe Doctrine. 1t was, without
any official blessing from the elected
representatives of the people, (and
therefore no part of any body of laws
either domestic or internationally a
declaration of policy toward the rest
of the world and became the basis of
our foreign policy from 1923 to the
mid 1905. 1t was a policy of isola-
ton from the rest of the world. 1t
was the prescribed medicine of the
year 1923 for the condition of the
United States in the world of 1928.
1t was intended to protect the seed
ling democracy from the blights of
contamination inherent in the age old
social, political and economic diseases
abroad. 1t was a quarantine of the
western hemisphere. Specifically the
Doctrine said that we would not toll
crate interference in this hemisphere
from abroad and in return we would
not interfere in the political situations
in the eastern hemisphere.
This doctrine proclaimed an ultima
tum. Fortunately for the young
American republic, we were not called
upon to back it up by force of arms
at that time. We could not have done
so. We were saved in that instance
by His Majestys Navy. Great Britain
having engaged in an undecided con-
flict with the United States in 1912,
had to postpone further engagements
because of trouble in Europe and it
suited British interests to maintain
the status quo in the western hemi-
sphere.
Now let us look at the results of the
Monroe Doctrine and the foreign pol
icy based on it. Twice in the century
following it's enunciation we have
preached the doctrine to fight two
world wars. We have discovered
these experiences that the
policy of isolation is untenable Where
as the leaders of 1923 thought the
quarrels of the eastern hemisphere no
concern of ours-the leaders of the
twentieth century have learned at bit
ter cost that to live in this world is
to accept responsibility for the world.
Splits World In TWO Parts
We are ready now to examine the
points of similarity between the Mon
roe Doctrine and the Truman Doctrine |
BtOh are ultimatums to the rest of the |
world calling for the backing of mill
-ary force. Both split the world into
TWO parts. The Monroe Doctrine di-
Tided the world on geographical lines.
The Truman Doctrine would divide it
IN theological and eXpedient imperial
site lines. These lines cannot be
clearly drawn and that fact alone
makes an ultimatum backed by mill
AIRY force a very dangerous thing.
of the Truman Doctrine in
'ist that its design is not imperial
site but we cannot defend the rights
# monopoly abroad without assuming
he mantle and the responsibility of
These same supporters
INSIST that the Truman Doctrine i'm
dement's the United Nations. But a
'ohcy to divide the world on any lines
II for whatever reason strikes death
low at the very heart of the United
Nations.
AS in 1S23-so in 1916, it was neces-
airy to prescribe for the illness which
eset the world. The leaders in 1915,
aving discovered that we live in one
7Orld, formed the United Nations and
vrote charter calling for multilateral
elton to control and stamp out the
auses of world conflict. This re-
uired the revision of the curriculum
civics on a one world scale. 1t calls
)r the one thing which can control
lie cleavages caused by nationalistic
mbitiOn and which have inevitably
ID to conflict, international law. Yes
eryear was hopeful for sick world.