The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-02-26
THE UNITED STATES AND
EUROPE.

any International position that We as
sumo are having an effect in Europe
that is in all respects satisfactory, says
the Call That effect is in the form Of
an adoption OF our diplomatic methods.
especially by Great Britain. The Ven
ezuelan affair is>settled now. The pro-
tocols are signed, the blockade is lift
ed and the only immediate interest in
the subject remaining to the United
States is the seeking Of some reparation
for the vicious official injury and phys
icai maltreatment OF an American cit
lien in Caracas at the very moment
when Castro was relying upon us to pre-
serve the integrity OF his sovereignty
and territory and protect him against
thrice deserved punishment for stealing
and then lying about IT,
Other incidents in the closing scenes
Of that case are OF more pleasant inter-
est than this which relates to viper
Gus migrate.
The British premier. Balfour. on the
same day on which the protocols were
signed IN Washington. made speech
". - .s,,..s.,, .,. ~, 4; ,,,xl
in which he declares that the Monroe
doctrine has no enemies in Great Brit
ain. but st would be great gain to
civilization If the United States would
more actively concern itself with ar
fangements to prevent the constantly
recurring difficulties between the Euro
pean powers and the South American
governments by getting the latter to
observe the principles of international
courtesy
That is d perfectly just observation.
The beginning Of such discipline must
be in compelling those governments to
be courteous to us. They have for
years spat upon our citizens, robbed,
imprisoned and flogged them without
being called to punishment. Natural |
" that which they do with impunity to
us. near 1eighbor. they do with great
er freedom and feeling of security TO
Europeans. whose governments are far
ther away,
Continuing. Mr.. Balfour accounted |
for the European concert in perfectly
natural manner and for reason which
is just as highly appreciated in the
tinted States as in Europe. Declaring
international animosities are a source
Of international weakness, he said:
Great Britain was supposed to be
greatly disIikad on the continent, but
no country is any stronger for its dis
like ol Great Britain. Nor would Great
Britain De made any stronger by recip-
rocating animosity. If the peace of
Europe is to be preserved and the cause
Of civilization to go forward Without
fatal shocks, 1t must be by cooperation
between the European powers. The
European concert was clumsy. but it
was better than isolated action" He
finally implore1 public opinion to avoid
the easy task of embittering the rela-
tions between nations by jealousies so
easy to create and 50 difficult to allay.
An sensible Americans realize that
"A peaceful concert in Europe is better
than the war that is inevitable from In
diyidual action. Shallow thinkers in
this country often say that we make
profit out of European war, therefore
we should encourage one. AS an ec-
ononic proposition war is a destroyer,
and the loss II infiicts is finally dis
trihuted to all nations, whether partic-
ipants in 1t or not. We might get
much profit for supplies furnished toI
governments at war, but the exhaustion
Of combat decreases the consuming
power Of their people, and we lose a
marlxet and its profits for long period
after peace comes. Better that the
sudden profits of time Of war were
distributed over long period which
permits an increase in the consuming
power OF the country.
While the United States stands self
sufficient. needing and desiring no con-
cert with any other country, our inter-
ests run to peaceful concert in Eu-
rope. for we are the purveyors Of food
and eiothing to that grand division OF
the globe. Therefore Balfours indose-
ment Of the Monroe doctrine and tacit
admission that European concert is
to attack It, and is desirable
not for the purpose Of war abroad. but