The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-12
All Eyes on Germany.

1t is curious that the German enperor's
iprotestations of respect for the Monroe
doctrine and the apparent recognition of
that doctrine by the German government
fall on deaf ears in the United States.
Nobody here believes that the emperor
has any respect for the doctrine Of itself
,or that the German government has the
lslightest notion Of steering national poll
,cy as if the doctrine were we'll recognized
International law. Americans are con-
WINGED that Germany has more or less
definite designs on parts of South America,
and we know that If the opportunity Of
fers, the Monroe doctrine will be quickly
brushed aside in the realization of the
designs. $780,.
At the same time our skepticsm as to
the Teuton's sincerity is accompanied by
the best of good will toward the empire
and the German people. - International
hatred and prejudice have nothing to, do
with our attitude toward Germany. WE
are as fond Of Germany as of any other
nation, and the ties of common blood
draw US almost as close to the Germans
as to the British.
We foresee, however, or think we do,
that German and American policy must
one day conflict if they continue to travel
Ialong present lines. The German expan-
mot be harmonized, assuming, we do,
that South America is the ideal theater OF
German expansion-the one great portion
OF the habitable globe on which other great
powers have not put their claws, and
now occupied by weak and demoralized
Il Estates, which would be as ehafr before
the mailed fist. = -"
We do not blame Germany for covet-
ling South America; we would do the SAME
,iin her place. At the same time we firmly
\ feel that we must stand by the doctrine
e ]of the inviolability Of the American con.
Is {tinents. 1t is not a question Of right Of
T wrong; it is conflict Of interests.
/ lis a conflict that must be compromised o,
K fought out.
The magazines and the newspapers are
"a fun of articles which show the drift O.
American opinion on this question
Is Stephen Bonsal writes about it in thu
Il North American Review, Gunton's Maya
| zine discusses it as a; plain proposition
i Secretary of War Root has nearly told u
j we must one day fight for the Monroe
i doctrine, President Roosevelt tells us tn
doctrine is meaningless without stron,
navy, and the National Geographic Maya
i zine for this month suggests that Ger
many Is behind Denmark's suddenly dis
covered reluctance to part with the Danis
West Indies ~. !
rs The latter magazine raises the interest
a Ing question of whether the annexation
a OF Denmark to Germany, considered quit
possible, would raise question as to til
a application of the Monroe doctrine.
Maurice Low, writing in the Forum, dis
/ I cusses the same question. : IT, Denmar
a itself should become German, its de
tendencies would be German, too,
III seems natural to say. But st. Thoma
III German hands is quite differeI
thing to us from ST. Thomas in DAMS
& hands The difference means a stron
s foothold for Germany in American water
sE Such transfer would be a pretty ha1
HI nut for Uncle Sam to crack. To decic
against Germany would be to invite wa
Our naval writer's view with appreher
sion the growth of the German navy.
81 is true that German writer's protest thu
the German navy is being enlarged K
Engand's benefit, and the chasm betwee
n those two peoples grows daily wider ar
deeper. But England may make a fir
stalking horse for Germany to get up
Il close range Of the Monroe doctrine.
The Monroe doctrine is loaded wit
4 trouble. We must either abandon 1t, al
4 turn South America over to Europes
exploitation, or prepare ourselves to fgl
IA for it. A war with Germany seems a
III most as fratricidal as a war with Englan
hut when national interests conflict, tn
fine talk about brotherly relations rapid
disappears into thin air, and the cannt
II sometimes begin to talk with fright
ii suddenness.
information is coming out in Chicago
II show that that city has been the victi
>F,1I - 4, IN