BOOK II FOREIGNERS IN LATIN AMERICA AND RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS PART I-THE UNITED STATES ENCOURAGES INVESTMENTS IN LATIN AMERICA THE CHAPTER I AMERICANS IN LATIN AMERICA HE United States encourages immigration into Latin America, and the making of investments there, yet views with indifference the murder, robbery, imprisonment, or expulsion of its own citizens, and because of the Monroe Doctrine prevents other civilized powers from protecting their own. ILLUSTRATIVE CASES From the Government Printing Office at Washington is published what is known as the "Monthly Bulletin of the International Bureau of American Republics - International Union of American Republics." Under the direction and authority of this bureau a large number of other books, reports, pamphlets, etc., are issued relating to Latin-American countries. The "laws" and "constitutions" of the Latin-American countries are set forth in those works with all apparent seriousness, and an important part of the "Monthly Bulletin" is devoted to a description of the alleged "Trade Opportunities in Latin America.” Through these publications and in many other ways American business men are led to infer that the communities of which they treat are republics, like our own, where life and property are safe, and where there is no possibility of usurpation by the executive. Let us suppose that an American business man, relying upon the good faith of these publications, invests his money in one of these countries, under and by virtue of a most definite contract with the so-called government; let us assume he has studied all the "laws" and the "constitution" of that country, as published by the Bureau of American Republics, and finds these laws to be excellent and a guarantee of security; let us further suppose that under these circumstances he risks his fortune in a "sister" republic. The questions to be asked are: Will his legal and equitable personal and property rights be preserved, and if not, has he any method of defending them? When the day comes in which he finds himself unable to yield further to the repeated levies made upon him by the government; when his property has been destroyed by the revolutionists or by the government itself; when the most clear, explicit, and unmistakable contracts which he had with the government have been violated and tram |