ISTIC TENDENCIES OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE
VIII. THE NEW PAN-AMERICANISM
IX. THE FAILURE OF NEUTRALITY AND ISOLATION
X. THE WAR AIMS OF THE UNITED STATES
XI. THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES
XII. THE WASHINGTON CONFERENCE
INDEX

From Isolation to Leadership

I

ORIGIN OF THE POLICY OF ISOLATION

The Monroe Doctrine and the policy of political isolation are two
phases of American diplomacy so closely related that very few writers
appear to draw any distinction between them. The Monroe Doctrine was
in its origin nothing more than the assertion, with special application
to the American continents, of the right of independent states to
pursue their own careers without fear or threat of intervention,
domination, or subjugation by other states. President Monroe announced
to the world that this principle would be upheld by the United States
in this hemisphere. The policy of isolation was the outgrowth of
Washington's warning against _permanent_ alliances and Jefferson's
warning against _entangling_ alliances. Both Washington and Jefferson
had in mind apparently the form of European alliance common in their
day, which bound one nation to support another both diplomatically and
by force in any dispute that might arise no matter whether it concerned
the interests of the first state or not. Such alliances were usually
of the nature of family compacts between different dynasties, or
between different branches of the same dynasty, rather than treaties
between nations. In fact, dynastic aims and ambitions were frequently,
if not usually, at variance with the real interests of the peoples
affected. It will be shown later that neither Washington nor Jefferson
intended that the United States should refrain permanently from the
exercise of its due influence in matters which properly concern the
peace and welfare of the community of nations. Washington did not
object to temporary alliances for special emergencies nor did Jefferson
object to special alliances for the accomplishment of definite objects.
Their advice has, however, been generally interpreted as meaning that
the United States must hold aloof from world politics and attend
strictly to its own business.

The Monroe Doctrine was a perfectly sound principle and it has been
fully justified by nearly a century of experience. It has saved South
America from the kind of exploitation to which the continents of Africa
and Asia have, during the past gener