The sun., 1903-06-28

I objections that might possibly be offered
TO the publication Of these letters. why,
II may be asked, should any one trouble
himself about what is said by obscure Ger
man pampheteers In regard to matters OF
high politics9' We are told that the question
would not be asked by any one conversant
with the mass OF German political literature
upon which .vigilans Sed Equus' has
based his essays. What needs to be con-
sidered Is. not the importance of each Ger
man pamphleteer by himself, but the tend
ency OF the great body Of German literature
analyzetl by the writer. When the bulk OF
the literature IL taken into account. its
Significance cannot be denied, especially
when we bear In mind that an autooratic
Government like that OF Germany could stop
the publication of 1t II II chose. Not only
does Kaiser William II. permit such writ
ings to be published, but there IL good
reason to believe that he and his coun-
sellors are influenced by them. In
Germany the ruling classes have always
shared the tendency OF Germans as a whole
TO be moved by abstract ideas. Again and
again In German history have great policies
been first urged by obscure pamphleteers
| and minor political philosophers. and after
ward been adopted by the rulers. Thus.
though public opinion does not control the
German Government in the sense that 1t
controls the Government Of England or
the United States. political writings often
produce most important results in Germany
A second objection that may be raised
to the present book is that IL tends to stir
up ill-feeling between two great nations
AZ a matter of fact II Is not plain speak
ing, but the misunderstanding of national
desires and aspirations that makes one
| nation the enemy of another The risk OF
collision will be less II Englishmen and
Americans find out the direction in which the
German Ship Of State Is being steered. 1t
| is only by understa nding German aspira-
| tions and the fundamental aims of German
| policy and statecraft that Englishmen
and Americans can tell how to act in par
ticuar circumst ances Mr.. Strachey, for
instance, is convinced that, If the British
| Government ha d Understood the real aspira-
tions Of Germany in the Caribbean Sea,
| and toward South America, and had Also
realized the intense anxiety OF the American
people with regard to the German world
! policy IL would never have entered upon an
alliance with Germa ny for the purpose OF
enforcing by acts OF war claims against
| Venezuela II remains to add that the
| author Of these essay ~ is not talking at
random upon what he imagines to he Ger
man aspirations, but supports every assser-
ton with the ipsissima rerbd Of German
writer's.
| 50 far as this notice is concerned, we shall
conf1ne ourselves to what the author Of the
book before Ills has to say about Germany's
aspirations with reference to South America
and the West Indies, and about her attitude
toward the United States. In the second
chapter are set forth some facts and QUOTA
tions that throw light on German hopes
and expectations with regard to South
America. Thus, Prof. Schneider saye:
an more than one respect, South America
is the land OF the future: there ia more to
he got in South America than there is in
Africa" Again: we must, at all costs,
desire that in southern Brazil a land Of
twenty to thirty million Gerrna ms may come
into being, no matter whether 1t remains
part OF Brazil. or forms an independent
State. or comes into clos,r relations with
! our Empire The professor takes no ac-
count Of the fact that the creation of close
political relations between southern Brazil
and Germany II barred by the Monroe
80, ~'' "
Doctrine. w. 90
According TO another German authority
| tFtinke), the total German population In
Brazil'p southernmcst and healthiest PROV
ince. the Rio Grande do Sui. is 10000.
He adds that the province Is about
| the size OF Prussia, and has unlimited room
| for more German colonists; that the Ger
mans keep their Language. customs and
| religion. intermarry but little with Brazil
ians, and have large families Of the best
Teutonic type, boys and girls, both hard
ened by constant riding and life in the
open air. 1t IL, says Funke, the one German
settlement where considerable population
has remained German. and German opinion
| is unanimous for its maintenance and
development. As to German colonial policy
in general Rathgen comedies that German
colonies are not now OF much account,
but hastens to remind his readers that in
| 1900 the world was divided bet tween Span
iards and Portugu ase. till the Netherlands,
| France, and above all. England divided
it anew. What has happened once, he
says may happen again.
| 1t ia In the third chapter that the irrecon-
cilabilty Of German aspirations with the
ir.erests Of the United States Is considered
J at some length. The author begins with
| question of recent and urgent practical
Importance. to wit, the transfer Of the
! islands in the Danish West Indies from
, their present owner TO Germany or to the
| United States. There Is no doubt that
American suspicion Of German designs
was lately awakened by the rumor that
| Germany had used her influence at Copen-
| hagen to prevent the Danes from selling
! their West Indian colonies to this country.
| Our author does not pretend to adduce any
direct German evidence for or against the
! existence OF an intrigue which every German
in the secret would be careful TO keep out
! Of German print.
| The following quotations, however. which
! he makes from two German writer's of au-
F., thority. show that the importance and
even the urgency Of the question are fully
| present to the German mind. Thus Prof.
Won Waltershauson Of the Strassbure
| University has pointed out that 1T would
! give a powerful impulse to our trade and
shipping Z we had a port Of our own in
the West Indies. with trade emporium and
coaling station. Such an acquisition is not
impossible, a. the Danish islands Of St.
Croix. st. Thomas and St. John have, In a
sense. been In the market The same writer
; goes on to say that the islands are bur
den to Denmark, costing her SI5OOOO a
year more than they bring in, and that
In 1853 and 1857 they were offered for sale
! to the United States. He adds-writinp