The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-04

Berlin. March 3.--'The Monroe Doctrine
IS an empty prctension. hehind which is
neither energetic will nor actual power"
Thus Professor Adolf Wagner. the cele-
brated political economist Of Berlin Uni
versity. begins his reply to two questions
submitted nv a correspondent-whether the
Monroe Doctrine Is in "A moral sense as
binding as international law and what ac-
ton seems dictated, FIRST in the interest of
the German people and then in the interest
OF the European nations.
Scarcely could SUCH a doctrine be forced
upon conquered people after eXtraordi-
nary Victories continues the professor.
No people ard no great ruler ever pro-
claimed such doctrine. Neither England
nor Russia, nor NapOleon at the height OF
his power. ever maze similar prelenslon.
but not even the Un1ted states pre-
OF assGmpuen; south America Is neltner
geographically nor historically allied
with North America and the United states
North American standpoint"
EUROPE DIVIDED.
Answering the second question, Professor
Wagner says:
1T is only the divisions of European
milton OF the solidarity OF the interests OF
Middle, Western ana Southern Europe,
which hitherto has been and will remain
the chief seat OF human civilization. that
explains why Europe. why Germany even,
takes this empty gretension into considera-
ton, Tor every European c9untry's practical
political course, Will naturally depend sole
AZ upon its interests and accordingly upon
considerations of strenSth
Therefore. any binding engagement in
advance regarding this pretentious doctrine
Of union appears TO be a wrong policy.
From the standpoint. too. Of the wider
Germanic races. simple recognition of the
Monroe doctrine would be false step. even
II II were settling the world question
whether the Germanlc or Romantic elements
should dominate the world
GERMANS AND ROMANS
las a member of the Germanic race, I
do not want to see the Romanic element
pressed to the wall. because 1t is indispen-
satle to the worlds civilization, and is a
necessary complement to Germanic culture.
1his applies to Italy and France. and even
10 Spain.
What do we Germans owe to them7
What would our civilization he without Italy
or without France? They are as indispeI-
sable to us as the classic peoples were.
NO objective member OF the German,c
race can wish to see the world exclusively
Germanic. but IL we once concede to these
United states predominance in South Ames-
lea. according to the Monroe pretension,
would German interests lie promoted there
by? 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 furthering
the preponderance of the United States or
Ensiana or both. The worlds civilization
WHAT HAVE THEY DONE?
aside from some technical and business
spheI es, what have 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 achievements Of Italy and France?
Middle Western ana Southern Euro
psans, hold yourselves together against the
East, as well the Ear 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 Romano peoples. That
would serve the true interests of the civil
ization Of the world
Professor Eduard Won Hartmann the
philosopher, declined to discuss the ques-
ton. because. he said, it was 'inexpedient /
since the Americans make capital out OF |
both affirmative and negative answers
He added: AN Endorsement of the Mon
roe Doctrine, however hedged with qualif- |
cations, would be accepted as q recognition |
of their programme, while the merest theo-
retical criticism would be interpreted as
expressing Germany's plans for conquest, |
and the American people would be called on 1
10 resist the same. Silence is best"
, Baron Won Sedltz und Neulirch, a MEM |
Der OF the Prussian Diet and editor of the |
Berlin Post, wrote:
The Monroe Doctrine is. from the stand |