Its Importance in the International Life of the States of the New World

In spite of all that has been said and written concerning the Mfonroe Doctrine it still demands thoughtful study and interpretation. Profound differences of opinion regarding-its significance exist among Americans and Europeans, as well as among Latin-Americans. We need particularly to make the effort to understand the attitude of the latter towards this historic declaration in order to understand their attitude towards the United States. The danger of a widening difference of views and interests between this country and the countries of the South of us, is very real.. They find it excessively difficult to understand us and are often irritated by what seems our utter failure to understand them. The reiterated pronouncements and assurances of our statesmen concerning our national policy towards Latin-America have served rather to increase this distrust and irritation. Our interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine often seems to imply an alleged right of hegemony on the part of the United States over the other American countries. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has rendered, therefore, a great service in making possible the publication of this compjendium by Doctor Alvarez. Doctor James Brown Scott, Director of the Division of International Law of the Endowment, well says in his preface to the book that the best commemoration the Endowment could make of the one hundredth anniversary of the Doctrine which has made for peace would be 'a collection of expressions of opinion by Latin-Amerlicans regarding the Monroe Doctrine and expressions of prominent North Americans upon the same subject." Doctor Alvarez, the distinguished Chilean publicist, has performed this task admirably, together with an historical introduction that enables one to apprehend more intelligently the attitude of Latin-Americans on the subject. Doctor. Alvarez was" peculiarly suited for this discriminating work of selection as he has devoted his main activities to the study and appreciation of Latin-American affairs as attested by his numerous publications, notably Le droit international amiericain. It is of interest to note his belief that the principles contained in Monroe's message "are not merely a policy of the United States, but a legal ihrernational doctrine, because they have been affirmed by all the States of the New World." He also believes that under the aegis of this Doctrine. the Western Hemisphere has evolved its own system of international law distinct from that of Europe. In this volume, therefore, is to be found a rich mine of ore to be worked over by those eager to know how Latin-Americans interpret the Doctrine as well as the views of some of the leading statesmen and publicists of the United States. It.should be consulted together with the excellent work by Albert Bushnell 'Irt entitled The Monroe Doctrine, An Interpretation.