IN AMERICAN DIPLOMACY
259
stand by idle and allow Colombia to plunder her citizens out of a life's work and sacrifice, and $40,000,000 in cold cash ; and yet, any action that France could have taken to prevent such a solution would have constituted a most unwelcome challenge to the American Doctrine of Monroe.
Without reserve it is our pleasure to give first prize for the conception and initiative in this great enterprise to France. For the execution of the most successful revolution on record, we recommend Bunau-Varilla, who has since received the decoration of the Legion of Honour for conspicuous bravery on the firing line at Verdun where he lost a leg. The ultimate responsible action stands to the everlasting credit of Theodore Roosevelt.
