New-York tribune., 1902-12-18
Memorandum.
Da0arr0le
department OF = I'd
Washineton. Decemher 10, lSO


Washington, December 16, 1901
The President, in his message on December o.
1901, used the following language:
The Monroe Doctrine is a declaration tha1
there must be no territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT by
any non-American power at the expense OF any
American power on American soil. 1t is in no
wise intended as hostile TO any nauon III the
The President further said:
This doctrine has nothing to do with tne CON-
rnercial relations of any American power, save
that it in truth allows each OF them to form
such as il desires . . We do not guarantee
any state against punishment if it misconducts
itself provided that punishment does not take
the form of the acquisition OF territory py any
no.l-American power,
His excelIency the German Ambassador. on
his recent return from Berlin, conveyed per-
sonally to the President the assurance OF the
German Emperor that his majesty's government
had no purpose or intention to make even the
smallest acquisition Of territory on the soutn
American Continent the Islands adJacent.
This voluntary and friendly declaration was al
terward repeated to the Secretary of State and
was received by the President and the people
of the United States in the frank and cordial
spirit in which it was offered In the memo
randum of December u his exceHency the
German Ambas sSador repeats these assurances
We declare especially that under no circum-
stances do we consider in our proceedings the ac-
ouisition or the permanent occupation OF Nenez-
uelan territory. :,
the German Government informs that Of the
United States that it has certain just claims
for money and for damages wrongfully with
of Venezuela and that it proposed to take GER
tain coercive measures, described in the memo
randum, to enforce the payment of these just
claims.
The President of the United States, appre-
ciatlng the courtesy of the German Government
in making him acquainted with the state of al
fairs referred to- and not regarding himself as
called upon to enter into the consideration or
the claims in question, believes that no meas
ures will be taken in this matter by the agents
OF the German Government which not in
accordance with the well known purpose above
set forth of his majesty the German Emperor.
While it is not the purpose Of the adnlinistra-
ton to interfere in any way with the acts Of
the allies so long they refrain from infrac-
tions of the Monroe Doctrine and confine them
selves to coercive action short Of the taking OF
Venezuelan territory, there has been no aban-
| donment of the Monroe Doctrine, but that doc
trine is not to be stretched to afford shield
behind which Venezuela or any other South
or Central American republic take refuge to
evade its debts or International obligations. A
notable precedent Is furnished by the declaration
| of Secretary Olney in his dispatch Of July 90
| 1895, on the Venezuelan boundary dispute, when
| he said:
| 1t (the Monroe Doctrine) does not establish
any general protectorate by the United States
| over other American States. It does not re-
| iieve any American State from its obligations
| as fixed by international law. prevent any
| EUROPEAN power directly interested from en-
| forcing such obligations from nficting merit
| ed punishment for the breach of them.