Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-04
MONROE DOCTRINE SCORED
German Economic Professor Dubs it Mere
Empty PretenIion.
RlDlCUlEs AMERICAN BoASTFUL CLAIMS
Says United states Has No interest I'm
Southern Republics and Claims
New western Nation Has Not
Yet Benented world.

BERLIN, March 3.-"The Monroe doc
%tTine." says Prof. Adolph Wagner, us an
empty pretension behind which there IL
neither energetic will nor actual power"
Herr Wagner is professor Of political
economy at Berlin university and was re-
Gently asked whether the Monroe doctrine
was, in a moral sense, as binding as inter-
national law. His lengthy reply brings
forth the, above fat-footed statement.
Example OF American Im~pertinence.
Later'he goes on:
Scarcely could such a doctrine be forced
upon a conquered people after extraordl-
nary victories. NO people and no great
Neither England nor Russia, nor Napoleon
az The height Of his power, ever made q
Mot even the United states predominant
interests are behind this ~unheard-of as
sumption. South America is neither geo.
graphically nor historically so allied with
to justify such a pretension even from a
North American standpoint.
The divisions OF European politics and
lack of insight into and recognition of the
solidarity of the interests of middle, west
ern. and southern Europe, which will re-
ton, explains why Europe, Why Germany
even, takes this empty pretension into con-
From the standpoint of the wider Ger
manic races, a political recognition of the
Monroe doctrine would be a false step,
even If IL were settling the world ques-
ton whether the GermanIc or Romantic
elements should dominate the world. AS a
member of the Germanic race, | do not
want to see the Romantic element pressed
to the wall, because II is Indispensable to
the worlds civilization and isa necessary
applies to Italy and France, and even to
Spain. What do we owe to
them? What would our civilization be
without italy or without France7 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 II we once con-
cede to the United States predominanoe
in South America, according to the Mon
TGo Pptedns tSereS SS9ia would SeumIdAH not we ae re
mans be completely pressed to the wall
by the English element on both sides Of
we really have no interest in furthering
the preponderance OF the United states or
England, or both: The worlds GiyliSa-
Aside from some technical and business
spheres, what have the United States done
OF importance for the civilization Of the
world? What have they done hat de-
| serves to be named in the same breath
with the achievements of Italy and France?
Middle, western and southern europeans
hold yourselves together against the east
as well as the far west.
That seems to me to be the only right
answer to the Monroe pretensions. The
Germanic people should not act against
but should act with the Romantic peoples;
| InAI WOulQ serve u lIuG u Va
the civilization of the world.
l Thinks silence IL Best.
Prof. Eduard Won Hartman, the philoso-
pher, declined to discuss the question, be-
cause, he said, It was "inexpedient, since
the Americans make capital out Of botf
affirmative and negative answers"
He added:
An endorsement of the Monroe doctrine
| hnuyaxrar hadpad with qualification would
be accepted as a recognition of their pro
gram, while the merest theoretical criti'
cism would be interpreted as expressing
American people would be called on to
resist the same. silence is best
Baron Won zediitz Und Neukirch, a men,
Der of the Prussian Diet, and editor Of the
Berlin Post. wrote:
The Monroe doctrine is. from the stand
point of international law, a nonbindins
a question of force. German interests
however, are so little touched by the doc
trine, at least as interpreted In the VeneS;
uela incident, that we have no practical
need for opening the question
Prof. Hans Won Delbruck Of Berlin uni.
versity, discussing Venezuela In the
Preussische lJahrbuecher, alludes to the
''perfdious nature" of the American policy
and advocates an alliance between Great
Britain and Germany. "Then," he says
I'VE should see the strongest coalition In
the world, as while Germany covered Great
Britain's rear against Russia and France
It could develop an overwhelming supe'
riority toward the United States. Germany
would have no need to fear the Franco
Russian alliance, because with Great Brit
ain It would be sure OF Italy's support
while Austria in its own interests woulC
bring itself alongside of Germany