Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-05
IT ANNpYs GERMANY
ATTITUDE OF UNITED STATES
ANENTs VENEZUELA.
Berlin Papers Grow Very Much Excit-
ed in Discussing Monroe
Doctrine.

A dispatch from Berlin yesterday says:
The government Is without Information re-
garding the landing of German marines at
Puerto Cabelio, Venezuela. The foreign
office says that If such landing occurred 1t
must certainly have been transient, and re-
CARDS the reported seizure Of the custom
house at Puerto Cabello by German ma
rineS canard
Several newspapers today, in their yearly
political reviews, devote much attention to
Venezuela and the Monroe doctrine.
The Vossische Zeitung independent lib
eraD regards Germanys proceedings against
Venezuela entirely within the limits of
international law
whoever has a claim against another"
says this journal, tries to collect it,
I whether they be private individuals or
nations. If anybody disputes our right to
compel payment of the Venezuelan claims
pay the debt himself, or give guarantees
therefor. If so, the matter speedily could
be settled; but IL this other person is I'M
willing to give such guarantees, his objec-
lions do not concern us. The United States
could settle the trouble between Germany
and Venezuela in moment If 1t would
stand for the payment of our claims, but
the United States is unwilling to take this
step, and We cannot demand that it do SO.
In this case the United States should not
hinder Germany from pursuing the course
that is deemed expedient."
The Vossische Zeitung refers to what 1t
calls the wild noise in portion of the
American press, who declares that Germany
has no right under the Monroe doctrine to
take forcible action in Venezuela, and that
Germany has not even recognized the Mon
roe doctrine"
1.-The latter assertion Is correct says the
journal No other European state ever
recognized this doctrine, and we believe no
European country will ever do SO. The
Monroe doctrine Is not adapted to become
subject of diplomatic negotiation, and the
document hardly exists in which this doc
trine is laid before any European power
with the request that this power make
declaration thereon
After reciting the history and the origin
of the Trainer Of the doctrine the paper as
serts that the right of Intervention claimed
by the holy alliance has long since been
abandoned The countries of South Amer
lea have been in a chronic state of revolu-
tion yet nobody of Europe dreams of inter-
ventiOn. The disastrous issue of Napo-
Icons attempt in Mexico renders it prob
able that no European state will ever re-
peat the effort to establish itself In the
western hemisphere.
Later interpretations of the Monroe doc
trine," continues the Vosssche Zeitung, do
not involve the defined hegemony Of the
United States over Central and South
America. The United States claims suzer-
ainty over these countries, with the right
of Intervention, but denies to European
countries the right to interfere in their po-
How far such suZerainty extends and
what rights and obligations result from 1t
has never been cleared up. Neither have
the Central and South American states rec
ognized this suzerainty, but they have de-
cidedly rejected it, owing to its repulsion
Of the Romantic and Germanic races. No
European state has made any concession in
this respect, and, finally, the United States
itself has given no clear statement Of its
aims. -..f
1.-The Monroe doctrine does not belong to
international law, but to conjectural pol
itics. 1t endows nobody with rights. Ger
many has no obligation to recognize and no
occasion to dispute the Monroe doctrine.
The South American states stand toward
Germany as sovereign nations; they have
all the rights and all the obligations of SOW
ereign states, and having such obligations.
they must pay their debts.
Germany will establish its claims consfd-
erately in form and theoretically in &C
ton "a
The Taegliche Rundschau complains that
that hard realist the Yankee, does not ap
preciate courtesies like the visit of Prince
Henry and the gift Of the statue of Fred
erick the Great, but blows few notes into
the rusty and hoarse Monroe trumpet, and
Germany must let that impudent trickster,
President Castro, alone, while he laughs in
his fist.