PACTS FOR PEACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 5, 7 January 1929, Page 6

PACTS FOR PEACE.

Twenty American republics have signed the treaties drafted by the Pan-American Conference to secure peace in the Western Hemisphere by substituting arbitration for war. Possibly Mr. Kellogg may have exaggerated when he described the acceptance of these treaties as one of the greatest steps ever taken toward permanent peace; but it is certainly a noteworthy advance in that direction. Though thirteen of the contracting Powers have reserved the rights of national defence and domestic sovereignty, much has been gained by securing their adherence to peaceful methods fors the settlement of disputes, and if the Pan-American Arbitration Conference had nothing to its credit but its success in preventing open war between Bolivia and Paraguay it would still deserve the appreciation and gratitude of lovers of peace throughout the world.

It should be observed that though Bolivia and Paraguay are, or have been, members of the League of Nations, they have preferred to submit their dispute to a tribunal in no way subject to it. The Latin-American republics evidently believe that they should expect protection rather from the Monroe Doctrine than from the Covenant of the League. How far the Monroe Doctrine could be depended upon in an emergency is still a moot point even with patriotic Americans. For in the Senate Mr. Borah, discussing the Kellogg Pact, has gone so far as to maintain that, even if the League of Nations had attempted to employ coercive methods in the- dispute between Bolivia and Paraguay, that would not have been in itself a violation of the Monroe Doctrine. But we may fairly regard the acceptance of the Pan-American arbitration scheme at this juncture not only as a set-off to the Covenant of the League, but as an attempt to remedy any defects in the Monroe Doctrine if a liberal interpretation of its meaning should leave some loophole for European intervention in American affairs.