Life — February 10, 1916 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Armament and the Monroe Doctrine" This editorial piece discusses U.S. military preparedness and foreign policy, specifically addressing Bernard Shaw's arguments about world policing. The text argues that while the U.S. doesn't seek to police the world, it must maintain armed forces to protect itself and the Monroe Doctrine (preventing foreign intervention in the Americas). The piece quotes Yale professor William Graham Sumner's caution that doctrines require rigorous testing and analysis before implementation. The author (E.S.M.) warns that enforcing the Monroe Doctrine without adequate military strength is meaningless—it would be merely "a scrap of paper" without backing from Great Britain. The ornamental border contains classical and allegorical figures, typical of *Life* magazine's design aesthetic of this era (appears early 20th century).