THE LEAGUE AND THE DOCTRINE

The present trouble between Panama and Costa Rica has brought forward an awkward international situation. Under the laws of the League of Nations of which Panama is a member she must bring her troubles before it for arbitration, and attempt peaceful settlement before resorting to arms. The United States is not a member of the League. Our Monroe Doctrine prohibits foreign governments from interfering in American questions except to a limited extent in dependencies which they had already acquired when the doctrine went into effect. Briefly, the articles of the League say to Panama, "you must bring your dispute to us." The Monroe Doctrine says, "Panama, you must have nothing to do with foreign arbitrators. The United States is the proper protector of all American republics.

This is the theoretical dilemma which may become real at any time--how are the League and the Monroe Doctrine to be reconciled? Many statesmen feel that the League without the United States is doomed to almost certain failure so it may be fairly said that the existence of the League threatens to kill the Monroe Doctrine. This is a situation which the admirers of our "splendid isolation" and the champions of the "American for Americans" idea did not foresee. Nonetheless, it exists. To declare the League jurisdiction inoperative in the Western hemisphere is to deprive its American members of the chief benefits of membership; to refuse to recognize any longer the Monroe Doctrine is to invite undesired foreign interference. Inasmuch as our determination to preserve the Monroe Doctrine at all costs was one of the chief reasons for our rejection of the League, it would seem that the quarrel between Costa Rica and Panama would offer a significant opportunity for the application of our principles.