Washington sentinel., 1901-05-04
A FALSE ALARM.
Germany Cont, mpIatcs no Attack
on Monroe Doctrine.

~ might w tAON + hhe iANAAA ~AA-
importance which manV American
newspapers attach to the London
SATURDAY ReVifqO'S deliverances,
that this English weekly is in the
confidence OF the crowned heads
OF Europe and is the organ Of con-
tinental foreign Offices. The fact
is that it is the mouthpiece OF a
small coterie OF Britons who are
not fond OF America and the Amer
leans and who would like to see
Uncle Sam "humbled." A day or
two ago this London journal an
nouuced that the purpose The Ger
man Emperor has in view in
Strengthening his navy is to chal-
lenge the Monroe Doctrine. This
challenge, we are told, is sure to
come, possibly within the next hve
years, when the Kaiser's navy will
be so strong that he can afford to
issue a defiance to Uncle Sam.
This is an old and threadbare
story, yet it is given publicity with
as great solemnity and earnestness
as If the Revie9V were the official
gazette ofthe German Government
and were printing an imperial de-
cree duly signed by the War Lord
Of Germany, says the Baltimore
SIM And some newspapers in
the United States which seem to
be without the American sense o.
humor gravely accept this fantastic
revelation and proceed t. warn the
American people against the Teu-
tonic peril which menaces them.
The New York FreSS. for instance,
assumes that it is quite probable
the Kaiser will indulge in the lux
ury OF a tilt against the Monroe
Doctrine, and gives these reasons
Tor "apprehending the worst"
Four years ago the Reichstag
passed law providing for the for
nation Of Autonomous colonies"
in Brazil. Many years ago Prince
Bismarck characterized the Mon
roe Doctrine as "sheer impu-
dence." The law ena ted bY the
Reichstag was intended as an ex-
preston Of German contempt and
defiance of our "impudence."
Colonies were not established IN
Brazil at that time, because Ger
many entered upon a period Of in
dustrial prosperity and there was
no necessity for Germans to leave
the Fatherland to seek a living
elsewhere. Now, however, the
situation has changed. A period
Of industrial depression has set in
and IS per cent of the industrial
popu alton is out OF work, Prices
OF iooGstuhs are to be raised, taxes
are TO be multiplied, and the flow
OF emigration must be resumed.
AS these emigrants will be as isted
BY the Government, they will, OF
course. go where the Government
is willing to send them. They are
to be landed in South America
or, to be more exact, in the neigh
borhood OF Bueno3 Ayres, the
commercial center OF the region in
which the autonomous colonies"
are planned. Already German
schools have been established d in
that region. On the whole, the
Press, in view facts alleged to be
within its knowledge, does not
hesitate to assert that "the colon
ization OF the temperate zone OF
South America under German rule
is as fixed purpose ofthe German
Government and people as is with
US the construction OF the Nlcara-
qua canal. Itis not yet within the
domain of practical politics, but
the pressure OF events is Fastening
it thither. When it arrives it will
have to back it the largest navy in
the world save one"
II the London paper were not so
bitterly anti American it might be
suspected that its object in warn.
ing US against Germany's designs
was to promote the shipbuild ng
industry in the United States-es-
pecially the construc ion of battle
ships The Py6SS, as a consistent
advocate OF mighty navy, might
naturally be expected to re echo
the alarm sounded by its London
contemporary with the view OF
working upon the fears OF Con-
gress and thus securing the expan.
sion Of our navy. But it is quite
certain that the RfVie7y does not
desire Columbia to be the mistress
of the seas, so its warning cannot
be explained on the ground that it
is promoting the interests Of the
English capitalists who are plan
ming to establish shipYards in the
United States. Its motives, there
fore, must be purely jingoish. Il
is egging Uncle Sam and the
Kaiser into uniriendly relations.