The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1. 1923. AN AMERICAN CENTENARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 287, 1 December 1923, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1. 1923. AN AMERICAN CENTENARY.

For the cause that lacks assistant*. For the tcrong that needs resistance, For the future tn the distance, And the food that tee can £-.

The famous Monroe Doctrine was promulgated on December 2. 1823. just a hundred years ago. There were two main events which led to its enunciation. In the year 1815 a so-called Holy Alliance had been formed by the Governments of Russia, Prussia and Austria. An attempt was made to include Spain, the bait offered being the support of the Alliance to help Spain to reconquer her American colonies. These had revolted, and at this time (1822) had practically achieved their independence, which had been recognised by the United States. The second event was the "iikasc" issued by the Czar in 1821, in connection with the Russian possessions in America. Russia, then the head of the Alliance, had annexed Alaska, and sought to exclude all other nations from the north-western Pacific down to the olst parallel of north latitude. This would have embraced nearly all the Pacific coast now owned by Canada, and it was believed that Russia also limed at annexing the whole coast a 9 far south as California wliich are was then almost uninhabited. At this time the United States hai * population of only ten millions md ranked as a third-rate Power President Monroe would never ha\iarcd to defy all the European Power lad he not received outside support This support came from the Britisl jovernment. In a private and con idential note of August 23, 1823 Janning wrote to Rush, American Mm ster in London, that he could not viev vith indifference any attempt to inter : ere with the independence of the newly x>rn Latin republics, and suggested tha he British Government should join witl he United States in resisting any sucl ittempt. Rr.sh consulted Jefferson vho said "our first and fundamenta naxim should be never to entangle uirselves in the broils of Europe; oui eeond, never to suffer Europe to inter neddle with cis-Atlantic. affairs." Th« esult was the enunciation of the doc rinc in a speech made by President donroe to Congress on December 2 823. The doctrine was really directed gainst Spain and Russia, or any othet European Powers which might support hem in their attempt to extend theii erritory in the New World. The preensions of Russia were limited by a reaty between both countries in 1824, nd as the independence of Spanishimerica had already been recognised by he United States and England, and oon afterwards by France, it might be upposed that the object of the doctrine ad been achieved. But as the United itates grew in power, the scope of the lonroc Doctrine was enlarged in a mailer which its framers never anticipated. Various European Powers have sought o defy the Monroe Doctrine. In 1862, luring the American civil war, France nvaded Mexico, but after the close of he war withdrew under American prcsure. Spain's attempts to rcoccupy ianto Domingo, Chili and Peru (in 1862----866) were also frustrated. In 1895. vhen Cleveland's Government sought to nterfere in the boundary dispute between Great Britain (British Guiana) tnd Venezuela, Lord Salisbury flatly tated that "the Government of the United states is not entitled to affirm as a miversal proposition, with reference to i number of independent States, for vhosc conduct it assumes no responibility, that its interests are necesarily concerned in whatever may befall hem, simply because they are situated n the Western Hemisphere." Britain, wwever, has recognised the doctrine. Germany disputed the doctrine in a till more emphatic manner. In 1903 he bombarded Venezuelan seaports and orts in an attempt to enforce payment »f claims. The action of the United states is somewhat obscure, but accordng to Mr. John Hay, once American Vmbassador in London (who had access o unpublished manuscripts) it was only liter President Roosevelt had threatened o send Admiral Dewey's fleet to the •oast of Venezuela to end the blockade, hat the German Government yielded to he proposal to arbitrate. On another iccasion when German and American nterests clashed in Santo Domingo and -laiti and the Monroe Doctrine was invoked, the German Government re- ' orted that "it was not aware that the ! Monroe Doctrine formed any part of • uternational law." Germany was right.' The Monroe Doctrine formed no part of nternational law; but since then its status has been made more regular by its recognition in the covenant of tbe League of Xations. In its interpretation md its enforcement there has always oeen only one judge and jury—the American Government. J i