Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-04
ATTACKS MONROE DOCTRINE.
Eminent German Scholar Says It i.
NonsensicaI and Not Enforceable.

Berlin, March 4.-"The Monroe Doc
trine is an empty pretension. behind
which there is neither energetic will
nor actual power" This is the language
in which Professor Adolph Wagner, the
celebrated political economist Of Berlin
university, disposes of the cherished in
ternational policy of the United State.
In discussing the doctrine Professor
Wagner declared American aggression
| is greatly to be feared by Germany.
and questioned whether the United
States had ever done anything to ad-
vance the civilization of the world.
Professor Wagner's attack on the
doctrine was based upon questions:
Whether the Monroe Doctrine is in a
moral sense as binding as international
law, and what action seems dictated,
first in the interest of the German
people. and then in the interest of the
European nations?
Scarcely could such doctrine be
forced upon conquered people after
extraordinary victories, continues the
professor. No people and no great
ruler ever proclaimed such a doctrine
Neither England nor Russia. nor Ma
poleon at the height of his power, ever
made similar pretension. But not
even the United States predominant in
terests are behind this unheard-of as
sumption South America is neither
geographically nor historically so allied
with North America and the United
States as to justify such a pretension,
even from North American stand
point
Answering the second question, Pro-
fessor Wagner says:
1T is only the divisions Of European
politics and lack of insight into and
recognition of the solidarity of the in
terests OF middle, western, and south
ern Europe. which hitherto have been
and will remain the chief seats of hui
man civilization, that explains why Eu-
rope, why Germany even. takes this
empty pretenson into consideration, for
every European country's practical,
political course will naturally depend
solely upon it's interests, and, accord
ingly, upon considerations Of strength.
Therefore. any binding engagement in
advance regarding this pretentious doc
trine of union appears to be a wrong
policy.
From the standpoint too. of the
wider Germanic races, a simple recog
milton of the Monroe doctrine would be
false step. even II 1t ware settling the
world question whether the Germanic
or Romantic elements should dominate
the world. AS member of the Ger
manic race, do not want to see the Ro-
manic element pressed to the wall, be-
cause it Is Indispensable 10 the worlds
civilization and is a necessary compile
ment to Germanic culture. This ap-
plies to Italy and France, and even to
Spain. What do we Germans owe 10
them? What would our civilization be
without Italy and without France?
They are as indispensable to us as
the classic peoples were. No objective
member of the Germanic race can wish
TO see the world exclusively Germanic,
but if we once concede the United
States predominance in South America,
according to the Monroe pretensions,
would German interests be promoted
thereby? Would not we Germans be
completely pressed to the wall by the
English element on both sides of the
sea?
I'VE really have no interest in fur
thering the preponderance of the Unit
ed States or England. or both. The
worlds civilization would hardly be ad-
vanced thereby. Aside from some tech
meal and business spheres, what has
the United States done of Importance
for the real civilization of the world?
What have they done that has deserved
to be named in the same breath with
the achievemtns of Italy and France?
Middle, western and southern Euro
L.
the east as We'll as the far west That
seems to me to be the only right answer
to the Monroe pretensions. The Ger
manic people should not act against,
but should act with the Romantic peo-
pies. That would serve the true inter-
ests of the civilization of the world"