New-York tribune., 1903-03-04
RAILS AT OUR DOCTRINE.
4 German Professor Says Some
Hard Tkines-A Symposium.

Berlin, March 3-"The Monroe Doctrine is an
empty pretension. behind which is neither sner-
getic will nor actual power" Thus Professor
Adolf Wagner. the celebrated political scone-
mist Of Berlin University. begins his reply 70
two questions submitted by a correspondent
whether the Monroe Doctrine vas in moral
sense as binding as international law, and what
action seems dictated first in the interest Of the
German people and then in the interest Of the
European nations
Scarcely could such doctrine be forced upon
a conquered people after extraordinary vic
tories" continues the professor NO people
and no great ruler ever proclaimed such doc
trine Neither England NOR Russia, nor Ma
poleon at the height Of his power ever made
similar pFetension. But not even the United
States predominant interests are behind this
unheard Of assumption. South America is
neither geographically historically so allied
with North America and the United States
to justify such pretension. even from North
American point Of view"
Answering the second question. Professor
Wagner says
It is only the divisions of European politics
ana lack OF insight into and recognition of the
solidarity OF the interests Of Middle, Western
ana southern Europe which hitherto have been
and viii remain the chief seats Of human civili-
| zatton, that explains why Europe, why Ger
many even, takes this empty pretension intc
| consideration. for every European country's
practical, political course will naturally depend
| solely upon it's interests and accordtnely upon
considerations Of strength. Therefore, any bind
| ing engagement in advance regarding this pre-
| tentious doctrine Of union appears to be a wrong
policy.
From the point Of view too Of the wider Ger
manic races simple recognition Of the Monroe
Doctrine would be false step. even If it were
! settling the world question whether the Ger
| manic or Romantic elements should dominate the
world. As a member Of the Germanic race do
not want to see the Romanic element pressed to
/ the wall, because it is indispensable to the
! worlds civilization and is a necessary compile
i ment to Germanic culture. This applies to
Italv and France, and even to spain. What do
| we Germans owe to them? What would our
| civilization be without Italy anG without
! France? They are as Indispensable to US as the
! cls sic peoples were. No objective member Of
| the Germanic race can wish to see the world eS-
clusiveIy Germanic. but II once concede the
United States predominance in South America,
according to the Monroe pretensfons, would Ger
man interests be promoted thereby? Would not
we Germans be completely pressed o the wall oy
t.. English element on both sides OF the SCI?
We really have interest in furthering the
preponderance of the United States or Eng
land or both The worlds civilization would
hardly be advanced thereby Aside from some
technical business spheres what have the
United States yet done of Importance for tie
real civilization Of the world? What have they
done that has deserved to be named In the same
breath with the achievements OF Italy ana
France? Middle, Western and Southern Euro
peans, hold yourselves together against the East
as well as the Far West That seems to me 10
be the only right answer to the Monroe pre-
tensions. The Germanic people should not act
against but should act with the Remanlc peo-
pies. That would serve the true interests OF the
civilization of the world
Professor Eduard Won Hartmann, the philoso-
pher declined to discuss the question. because.
he said, it was ''inexpedient, since the Anneri-
ems make capital out Of both affirmative and
negative answers" He added:
An Endorsement OF the Monroe Doctrine, how
ever hedged with qualifications, would be ac-
cepted as a recognition of their programme
he theoretical
interpreted as expressing Germany's plans Tor
conc Iest and the American people would be
called on to resist the same Silence IS pest
Baron Won zedIitz und Neukirch. member of
the Prussian Diet and Editor of the Berlin
Post wrote:
The Monroe Doctrine is from TIE point Of
view of international Law non-binding mono
loeue whose enforcement is purely question
of force Germany's interests, however, are SO
little touched by the doctrine, at least as IN
tarnre+ed in the Venezuela incident, that we
have no practical need for opening the question
Profess.,r Hans Won Delbrueck of Berlin Uni
1ersftv. discussing Venezuela in the "Preus-
stecbe Jahrbiicher" alludes to the "perhdous
nature of the American policy. and advocates
an alliance between Great E-itain ana Ger
-,.rv (which" he SAYS would be the strong
est coalition in the world. as while germany
covered Great Br: aims rear against Russia and
Fran she could develop an overwhelming
euneriority toward the United States. Germany
,.,ouId have no need to fear the French Russian
alliance because. with Great Britain she Woulo
he aure of Italy's support. while Austria IN ner
on,n interests would range herself aiongsloe
Germany"