THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES THURSDAY, JULY 24, 1913. THE MONROE DOCTRINE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15824, 24 July 1913, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES THURSDAY, JULY 24, 1913. THE MONROE DOCTRINE.

It will have been, observed that, according to a cable message which wo published this week, President Woodrow Wilson, alarmed at the Mexican and Japanese crises, is 6aid to have practically decided to abandon the Monroe doctrine. Since the Monroe doctrine has for nearly a century been a sort of fetish "with the American nation it seems. prudent in the meantime to regard with a certain amount of suspicion a statement which, whatever the reasons suggested as inspiring his purpose, attributes to the President a resolve of unexpected daring. When its intangible and abstract character is considered, that peculiar American institution, to which the name of tho Monroe doctrine is given, has survived wonderfully well so far. It

represents, of couree, a policy designed to ensuro the maintenance of the territorial status quo in respect of non-American Powers throughout the American continent. The pronouncement made to Congress in' 1823 by President Monroe was the result of apprehension that the combination of European Powers known as the Holy Alliance would interfere in South America to restore the 'Spanish colonies, which had asserted their independence, to the Crown of Spain. . As an announcement of policy it involved in the first place a declaration aimed at foreign intervention in the political affairs of independent American States, and in the second a warning against future European colonisation on the American continent. No legislative sanction was given to Monroe's statement of policy at the time, but the mere announcement served to prevent foreign Jaction in South America. Great Britain and the United States were not in complete agreement as to the legitimacy of fresh colonial settlements in the New World, but they wpre practically resolved that nobody should' make any new settlements except themselves. From President Monroe's declaration grew up what is now known, as the Monroe doctrine, which in substance insists that America forms a separate system apart from Europe—a system wherein still existing European possessions may be tolerated, on the understanding that no extension of them and no establishment of European control over a nominally independent American State will be allowed. The doctrine has never formed part of the body of international law, nor has the Government of the United States bound itself by compact witli the other republics of the American continent to protect them

against Europeaaaggression. Never having been formulated as law or in exact language, the Monroe< doctrine has meant different things to different persons at different times. It has been enforced, however, on several occasions since its conception, and seemingly it becamo permanent part of the foreign policy of tho United States, with a tendency to change into the principle that every portion of the American continent must be free from European control. Thus, in view of the history of the doctrine, it is rather difficult to take seriously the statement that is now circulated with referenco to President Wilson's intentions. If tho doctrine were abandoned by the United State the rest of the world would assuredly bear up wonderfully well under the loss, even although some of tho minor republics which have been ablo to take advantage of their European creditors might in conscquence bo caused anxiety. Since tho doctrine was initiated two vital developments, it i; suggested, have occurred which have served to taint, if not entirely to destroy, its value and effect. The first of these is the general change which has come about in the status of the smalleir independent Latin-American

Slates, the majority of which, notwithstanding frequent political uprisings, consider themselves fully capablo of managing their internal affairs -without the aid of the United States, The second development is indicated in the contention that the foreign policy of the United States has continually run counter to the pledge, implied in the doctrine, that if the United States enforced tho exclusion of Europe from the Americas they would in tum abstain from having anything to do with European possessions in America or with the course of events in Asia and Africa. The attempt to draw a, magic circle round the vast territory known'afi the Americas has proved succeesful, it 16 argued with an excellent show of reason, in theory only, and instances are citable suggesting that the Monroe doctrine, -which Bismarck denounced as "a piece of international Impertinence," has not yet been put to the crucial test.