The British Liberals, when they came into power,
perceived this, and at once did their best to make amends to South Africa
by granting her autonomy and virtual independence, linking her to Britain
by the silken thread of Anglo-Saxon democratic culture. How strong this
thread has proved is shown by the action of those of Dutch blood in the
Dominion during the present war.
Eventually, if democracy is not to perish from the face of the earth,
some other than the crude imperialistic method of dealing with backward
peoples, of obtaining for civilization the needed resources of their
lands, must be inaugurated--a democratic method. And this is perhaps the
supreme problem of democracy today. It demands for its solution a
complete reversal of the established policy of imperialism, a new theory
of international relationships, a mutual helpfulness and partnership
between nations, even as democracy implies cooperation between individual
citizens. Therefore President Wilson laid down the doctrine that
American citizens enter Mexico at their own risk; that they must not
expert that American blood will be shed or the nation's money be expended
to protect their lives or the "property" they have acquired from Mexican
dictators. This applies also to the small capitalists, the owners of the
coffee plantations, as well as to those Americans in Mexico who are not
capitalists but wage earners. The people of Mexico are entitled to try
the experiment of self-determination.
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