Notes on the News Monroe Doctrine

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 30 December 1938, Page 3

Notes on the News Monroe Doctrine

An authoritative statement has beet made that the defence of the American continent, which the United States of America had hitherto maintained through the Monroe Doctrine, lias now become the business of the whole continent.

President James Monroe in IS2O announced that the citizens of the United Staes wished success to the revolting Spanish colonies in South America, but that the Government would maintain strict neutrality. In 3823 the Monroe administration declared that “the American continents are no longer subjects for the new colonial establishments.’’ j

On December 2, 1523, President \ Monroe, in a message to Congress, asserted “as a principle in which the rights and interests of the United States are involved, that the American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European “We owe it . . to candour and to the amicable relations existing between the United States and those Powers [of Europe] 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 independence we have, on great consideration and on just principles, acknowledged, we could not view any interposition for the purpose of oppressing them, or controlling in any other manner their destiny, by any European Power in any other light than as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States . . .” Pan-America President Boosevelt says be considers the conference of delegates of Governments of South America and the United States a very great success. The United States has in recent years paid more and more attention to her relations with the other countries of the New World. This trend is gathering force. The republics of Latin America have long provided valuable outlets for United States trade and capital, though they have stubbornly resisted the encroachments of what is known as “dollar imperialism.“ Great Britain, Germany, Japan and other countries hold strong positions in South America, and the Latin republics are wont to use these connexions as a counterweight for United States penetration. At the same time they have been turning more readily to Washington for political collaboration. This conference appears to have inspired the Pan-American Union with new life. Efforts to co-ordinate the policies of all American countries with, regard to the defence of North and South America against encroachments by any European or Asiatic Power appear now to be bearing fruit. It is probably not too much to say that a Pan-America League of Nations is already an accomplished fact. Canada, in spite of her intimate relations with the United States, is prevented by her membership of the British Commonwealth from joining the Pan-American alignment. But however loyal to the British connexion, Canada is intimately bound to the United States by ties of mutual trade, common ways of thought, and the needs of defence. It is not considered that Canada’s two attachments will come into conflict. Leaders’ Views

Welcoming Herr Hitler to Rome on May 7, 1938, Signor Mussolini said: “Your visit to Rome completes and seals the understanding between our two countries. This understanding, which we firmly wanted and tenaciously built, has its roots in your and our revolution, has its strength in mutual ideals that bind our two peoples, hars its historical background in the permanent interests of our two nations. . “With the same faith and with the same will, Italy and Germany have fought to achieve their unity; have worked to make it solid and strong; harve redeemed themselves recently from the corruption of destructive ideologies to create a new regime for the people that is the mark of this century “Along this road traced by history our two peoples march united. . .To your health, Fuehrer, I raise my glass and drink to the prosperity of the German nation and to the unchangeable friendship of the two peoples. Replying, Herr Hitler .said : - Germany and Italy have similar interests, and by their common ideology are closely Ivound one to another. They constitute a bloc of 320,900,000 people iu Euroj)o today who are determined to safeguard their eternal and vital rights and to resist with all their might any forces than may set themselves in opposition to their natural development. . . . ‘ Duce! Last autumn on the Field of May at Berlin, you proclaimed the following principle as the ethical law that is sacred t 0 you and to Fascist Italy: *To speak clearly and frankly, and when one has a friend to march with him to the finish.’ In the name of National Socialist Germany I, too, associate myself with this Driucipie.”