Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-14


that the Monroe doctrine is an impor-
tant guarantee of the worlds peace
and that no responsible man in Ger
many dreams of German conquests or
colonies in South America-that the
idea is a subject of ridicule throughout
the German empire-one begins to Won
der whether large part of the Amer
lean people has not mistaken the spirit
of the soldier who sits on the, throne OF
the great Frederick, says James Creel-
man, the Washington correspondent of
the New York World.
Baron Speck Won Sternburg spoke to
me with great eartnestness, especially
when he referred to his conversations
with the Emperor William just before
starting for America to attempt the
settlement of the Venezuelan difficulty.
Nothing could be more preposterous
than the superstition that the German
emperor or his advisers are hostile to
the Monroe doctrine or that it is re-
garded as a menace to Germany's Sc
cret ambition to coloniZe or establish a
sphere of political interest in Brazil or
some other part of South America" he
said. '"The suggestion that the Ger
man nation, either in the person of its
sovereign or in its ministry or parlia-
ment or even in its thinking people,
has any Interior motive in protecting
it's honor and the lives and liberties
and property of its citizens in VeneZu-
ella is utterly false. l can say that in
the name of the emperor, the govern
ment and the people. 1t is outrageous
and contrary to common sense to suS-
pect the pledged word of a nation and
n sovereign whose most marked char
acteristics are candor and plain deal
ing. The Monroe doctrine was once
looked upon by many Germans as a
threat to Europe, but that idea has
faded away. The Monroe doctrine is
deeply respected in Germany for what
it really is-a guarantee of internation-
al peace. Without it South America
would become a great theater of war
between European nations. There
would be invasions. rebellions, mas
sacres and endless waste and misery.
Believe me, the German nation under
stands that.
'"The German emperor greatly adj
mires the United States. l can hardly
put that too strongly. 1t was on his
trip to Norway several years ago that
he first came into contact with the !
kind of Americans who have made this
country great. They made deep i'm
preston on him. During the several |
talks l had with the emperor before |
coming to America he spoke again and |
again in terms of admiration of Amer |
leans, their capacity and energy, broad |
mindedness and foresight. 1t was so
even before there was any thought of
sending me to Washington this time
No matter how wide the emperor might
range in his conversation, he always
came back to America as a center of
consideration"
"And you heard the emperor speak of
the Monroe doctrine?"
Certainly. He respects and under
stands it. He would be the last person
in Europe to disturb it. The Ameri-
can people may feel sure of this"
''That is not the idea generally &C
cepted in this country, baron
Il am sorry to hear it."
''There is a widespread and tenacious
popular belief that the German en-
peror. or his ministers, or a powerful
section of the German parliament, or
all three together, are secretly hostile
to the United States; that they hate our
republican institutions, resent our ma
terial prosperity, are opposed to our
dominant influence in Central and
South America and would rejoice to see
us crippled or humbled."
The baron listened with an intense
manner that is characteristic, his eyes |
betraying emotion.
Nothing could be wider of the truth |
than such a belief" he replied. "How
can any man think such things in the |
face of the emperor's repeated demon
STATIONS Of friendship and good will?
He is a man like President Roosevelt, |
strong, honest, courageous and out
spoken. He is not given to subtletieS. |
The German nation, the German char
acter, may have its faults, but it is at |
least frank, sometimes too frank, per-
haps."
cit is also suspected, baron, that in
looking over the map of South Ameri- |
ca and observing the immensely of |
Brazil the emperor, so TO speak, made |
sort of German cross mark opposite |
Brazil and that the present blockade |
Of Venezuela is not unrelated to that |
thought-in other words, that but for |
the Monroe doctrine Germany would /
attempt to gain territory in South |
America by colonization at first and by /
conquest afterward.''
Eyes, / have read that accusation |
many times" said the baron. ct is |
utterly without foundation. 1 know
that the emperor and his ministers |
treat the suggestion with scorn and |
ridicule. The idea of German colonies |
I'm South America is regarded as n iolxa /
in responsible German circles. l have
heard the emperor and his most trust
ed advisers speak on this subject with |
an emphasis that would satisfy the I
most suspicious person in America.
! '@The acquisition of new colonies for
the purpose of getting trade is antag-
L. =.