A CENTURY OLD.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17936, 3 December 1923, Page 9

A CENTURY OLD.

' * MONROE DOCTRINE. IS STILL AMERICA'S SHEET-ANCHOR. (ur cable—rar.ss association—eorTiucfst-i I.AC3TIULUX A.K& X'.i. CABI*E ASSOCIATION.) (Receive December 2nd, -5.5 p.m.) Washington, December i. Mr C. E. Hughes (Secretary of State), addressing the American Society of Political and Social Science at Philadelphia, at a celebration of the centenary of ihe "Monroe Doctrine, said:— ''American foreign policy to-day squares consistently with that doctrine. The United States would rather suffer such ills as might result from her present policy towards Europe than suffer the greater evils which would follow the sacrifice of her independent position.

''The United States entered the war in support of the liberty and to destroy the menace of an autocratic power, but not to secure the economic prostration of the vanquished people. We have the deepest sympathy with France, and wish to see her wounds healed and her just demands satisfied. We desire to see a united and prosperous Germany, with a will to peace, making amends to the full extent of her powers and obtaining the appropriate rewards for her labours. "We are still opposed to alliances, and refuse to commit ourselves in advance to the employment of the power of the United States in unknown contingencies. We reserve the right to act upon the occasion as our sense of duty permits. We oppose discriminations against our nationals, and we ask for fair and equal opportunities in the mandated territories aoquired by our allies with our aid.

"We desire to co-operate in the peaceful settlement of international disputes. We desire to co-operato in humanitarian efforts to prevent the evils which can be met only with community action. "There is no inconsistency between these policies and the Monroe Doctrine. The United States alsa adheres to the principles of peace in the Pacific as set forth at th© Washington Conference."

[ln 1823 the, fear was abroad in America that the combination of European Powers known as "the Holy Alliance might interfere in South America to restore to Spain those of her colonies which had asserted their independence. Britain also viewed this prospect with some alarm, and it was possibly due to the influence of Mr Canning, then Prime Minister of Britain, and his desire to "call the New World into existence to redress the balance of the Old" that James Monroe, fifth President of the United States, fell to a study of the problem. In his message opening Congress on December 2nd, 1823, President Monroe first stated in concrete form the policy that the' United States should avoid entangling itself in the politics of Europe, and that European Powers should be prevented from taking a controlling share in the politics of the American Continent. Thus was enunciated the Monroe Doctrine. In nis message, the President said, inter alia: "In the wars of the European Powers in matters relating to themselves we have never taken any part, nor .does it compprt with our policy so to do. It is only when our rights axe invaded or seriously menaced that we resent injuries or make preparations for ouT defence. With the movements in this hemisphere we are of necessity more immediately connected. . . . We owe it to candour and to the amicable relations existing between the United States and European Powers to declare that we should -consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety. With the existing colonies or dependencies of any European Power we have not interfered, and shall not interfere. But with the Governments who have declared their independence and maintained it, and whose indepenthmce we haive on great consideration and on just principles acknowledged, we could not view any interposition for the purpose of oppressing them or controlling in any d£her manner their destiny by any European Power in any other light than as manifestation cf an unfriendly disposition .towards the United States."]

ISOLATION NOT ENOUGH.

i DEFENCES NECESSARY. \

(BT CABLE—PJtESS ASSOCIATION —COPTRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIA.! AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received December 2nd, 5.5 p.m.)

NEW YORK, November 30,

The Washington correspondent of the "New York Times" says that Mr J. W. Weeks (Secretary for War),- in his annual report, protests vigorously against pacifists' propaganda for the further reduction of the United States army and navy. Mr Weeks contends that only approximately 14 per cent, of the Federal budget is spent upon armed forces, the army consuming only six per cent. He declared that the population contributes per capita less than 350 cents annually for national defence, compared with an expenditure of 15 dollars for other purposes. The appropriations for national defence last year were approximately 599,000,000 dollars in a total budget of 4,000,000,000 dollars. Mr Weeks issues a warning against the belief that isolation is protection, declaring that new inventions alter the case, and America is no longer seiisufficiug.