WRIGHT— POWER TO MAKE POLITICAL DECISIONS. 369 



for the expression of general policies. The Hague Conventions on 

 the Pacific settlement of international disputes were signed with a 

 reservation : '^^ 



" Nothing contained in this convention shall be so construed as to require 

 the United States of America to depart from its traditional policy of not 

 intruding upon, interfering with, or entangling itself in the political questions 

 of policy or internal administration of any foreign state; nor shall anything 

 contained in the said convention be construed to imply a relinquishment of the 

 United States of America of its traditional attitude toward purely American 

 questions." 



The Senate appended a similar reservation to the Algeciras Conven- 

 tion of 1906.^® 



205. Power of President to Determine Foreign Policy. 



It is believed that resolutions expressing general policies or 

 principles on most subjects connected with foreign relations may be 

 constitutionally passed by Congress, and may furnish useful guides 

 to the President. Congressional expressions of opinion on partic- 

 ular issues, however, and attempts to direct the President thereon 

 encroach upon the executive field and may embarrass the President's 

 action. In practice foreign policy has developed by executive prec- 

 edent, practice and declaration. The farewell address of Wash- 

 ington and the Monroe Doctrine, both purely executive in origin 

 and future interpretation, have been the most important expressions 

 of foreign policy.'^" In recent years, however. Congress and es- 

 pecially the Senate have tended to express permanent policies more 

 freely, by resolution. Though the Monroe Doctrine was stated in 

 1823 and on several occasions efforts were made to gain for it legis- 

 lative endorsement, the first statement referring to it, accepted by 

 either House of Congress, appears to be the reservation to the 

 Hague Convention of 1899 accepted by the Senate, and on this 

 occasion the doctrine was not referred to by name. 



68 Malloy, Treaties, etc., pp. 2032, 2047. 

 6» Ibid., p. 2183. 



■''•Richardson, Messages, i: 221-224; 2: 209, 218-219; Moore, Digest, 6: 

 370, 401 ; see also Taft, op. cit., p. 113. 



