The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-23
ORAGO DOCTRINE
MUST Be SETTLED
Shall It Go Before The Hague
Tribunal?
AFFECTS THE WHOLE WORLD
Argentine Minister First Asserted the
Foreign Governments Could Not
Collect Citizens Debts
BY Force.
AFFECTS THE WHOLE WORLD


place In the programme of what is des-
tined to be one of the most pregnant Of
International gatherings, the third confer
ence of the American republics, Is set
down the Drago doctrine. so named af-
ter its exponent. DR.. Luis NJ. Drago, a
learned pnbliclst of Argentina Yet in its
bearing upon the future, not only of the
little republics of the Southern Hemis-
phere, but upon the nations Of the world,
even upon the greatest, in their time of
misfortune and distress, 1t should easily
command first place. For according to the
ideas of the originator of the doctrine, it
should mean the very perpetuation of
their Independent national existence.
Reduced TO its simplest terms, this doc
trine is a declaration that no nation has
a right forcibly to undertake TO collect
debts owing to its citizens by another ma
tion. And the proposition before the Pam
American conference which it is asked
to submit to the great Hague tribunal is,
to what extent, if at all. the use of
force is justifiable in the collection of such
debts Naturally, the question thus pro-
pounded is of the most vital interest to
every debtor nation and most of all to
the practically defenseless republics of
South and Central America.
Reason for the Declaration.
The three Americas were wrought up to
a pitch of intense excitement in 1902 when
the allied fleets of three great European
nations, Great Britain, Germany and
Italy, appeared off the coast of Venezuela
with declared intent to collect by force
baf To hair ri l.
zens. A few American warships were
there, too, but merely as passive specta-
tors American citizens were large cred
itors of castro's government, but the
American ships had not come as debt
collectors. They were there to guard
against any infractions of the rights Of
neutrals; to prevent bombardments Of
HELPLESS and defenseless ports; to restrain
excuses; and above all, to LOOK after
American interests. including tie Monroe
doctrine.
Argentine was the first of the southern
republics to raise a note of protest. and it
came In the declaration of the now famous
Drago doctrine. Directed by DR.. Drago,
then minister of foreign relations of Ar
gentina, TO the government of the United
States through Senior Garcia Merou min
lister of the Argentine republic in Wash
ington, 1t aroused all of South and Cen
trail America. 1t even excited sympatheuc
response from a considerable portion of
the press of America. and so strong was
the sentiment aroused that, in dread of Il
hemispherical consolidation against them,
the allied blockadng powers gladly
availed of the good offices of the United
States to submit the issues between them
selves and Venezuela to the arbitration
OF The Hague tribunal
Effect of Latn-America.
But a profound impression has been
made upon the South and Central Ameri-
can republics by the blockade and Dr.
Drago's protest and the feeling of re-
sentiment engendered had not been les
sened by the decision of the august Hague
tribunal-the packed court as they
called It. on the ground that the judges
represented only the great creditor ma
tions-adyerse to Venezuela.
The United States had returned only a
most cautious and dseomforting reply to
Dr. Dragos note in the shape of a re-
minder TO her sister republics that the
Monroe doctrine shielded their territories
against final annexation to European pow
ers. but would not protect them AGAINST
any lesser action by their creditors. the
President of the Argentine republic re-
fused to accept this construction OF inter-
national relations and made DR. Drago' S
declaration the subject of special endorse
ment in an annual message to the A.Rcn-
tine Congress- and since 1902 this doctrine
has been discussed I'm every South and
Central American capital
There was no lack of opposition. and
notably Brazil, through her semi-officiai
newspaper press comba tied the Argentine
proposltion being herself on good terms
with her European creditors. but pro-
fessedlv anxious to avoid the submission
10 a European tribunal of a doctrine es-
sentially American in application. The
Washington government also was not
willing at the time TO commit itself TO the
DraRo doctrine. There were many Ameri-
cans owning concessions In South and
Central America and the West Indian
republics. and possessing bonds of those
repuhlics, whose holdings might be can
ceIled at the within of any revolutionary
president were forcible collection made
an impossibility.
How II Came Before Conference.
The discussion of this important queS-
tton was academic and without special
significance until 1t was suddenly last
winter thrust upon the committee on pro-
gramme composed OF representatives OF
the principal American republics then IN
session at the state department, consld'
ering the subjects to be submitted TO the
Rio conference The first proposition was
embodied in Article 4 of the programme
IN these words;
"A resolution recommending that the
second peace conference at The Hague be
requested to consider the extent to which
the use of force for the collection OF pun
lie debts is admissible
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