Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-08

gress at Rio that the government of the
United States decided to announce its inten-
ton of submitting 10 The Hague the ques-
ton of the Drago doctrine.
NJ Drago. in his note in 1902. says: The
Argentine Republic may cite its own case
as an example TO show low armed interNen-
tons are so little necessary In such cases as
that of Venezuela. The service OF the debt
due England in 1894 was spontaneously as
sumed by the Argentine government after
an interruption of thirty years OF anarchy
and commissions which disturbed the coun-
try. The whole of the debt with interest,
was scrupuloUsly paid
We do not nourish In any way senti-
ments of hostility toward the nations OF
Europe. 1t is with a sentiment of con-
tinental confraternity and the force which
moral support gives 10 people that / ad-
dress you. Mr. Minister, in accordance with
the instructions of his eNcellency. the presi-
dent of the republic. to beg you to transmit
to the cabinet at Washington our manner
of looking at events whose Interior develop
ment reserves for the United States
preponderating part. May that govern
ment take note of the expression of a ma
ton which has faith in its history and in
the destinies of those of the American con-
tinent. at the head OF which the United
States is the ideal and the model"
NJ. Drago cites the United States as an
example of moderation and prudence and
quotes what Mr.. Seward
Shining wrote to the American min
lister at Bogata: We have
had. unhappily. too many
occasions to become familiar with the COM
plants provoked by the tardy and i'm
practicable decisions of the tribunals of the
South American republics. We should con-
tinue, however. to place confidence in their
independence and integrity, or say to our
selves, which would be unjust. that those
states like the countries OF the orient
half-civilzed countries and are con-
sequently outside of the law of nations
which is in force among Christian peoples.
We should conclude that those who go to
these countries have taken these circum-
stances into consideration They cannot
reasonably ask their government that IL
formulate claim because they have placed
themselves upon the same footing the
natives as to the absence of an enlig htcned
judicial power.
NJ. Drago refers 20 what Sir Henry Camp
bell Bannerman said in the house of COM
mons recently in discussing the action oe
England toNlr Venezuela: There is moth
ing NOR" !,eIncious than that we should
adopt :he doctrine. il it merits the name of
doe, me, by which if our compatriots shall
have engaged capital in adventurous enter
p. ises and the contracts are not kept that
II would be duty 10 save the compromised
capital
Whoever places big money in Il coun-
try like Venezuela" said Sir Henry.
knows full well what he is doing 1t
would not be entirely exact to say that
to great risks there are always great
dividends. but it is nearer the truth to
say that great dividends as rule imply
great risks. Very WE'LL If all tn = power
of the British empire was placed behind
the capitalist the risk would disappear
for the capitalist and the dividends would
diminish in the same proportion"
NJ. Drago repeats that the Argentine
note of December %, 1902. was docu-
ment essentially polite and announced a
peril. When 1t appeared there was every
cause for alarm. In political and diplo-
matte circles and in the principal journals
and reviews of Europe 1t was a general
topic of discussion that the countries of
South America offered a wonderful field
of colonial expansion now that The roads
to Africa and the orient were closed.
NJ. Drago cites the Duke of Argyle who
wrote in the Deutsche Revue: There re-
mains a country, AN only
Argyle's country, where there is
Comment nothing contemplate. moth
ing to be despised. except
the men; a country which has superb
capital a splendid port, a good soil.
where everything Is excellent. except
the government. This country, which
needs nothing but European protector
ate to enter into a desirable order. is
the Argentine"
NJ. Drago concludes that the suspension
of the service of a debt. failure 20 pay.
always indicates a profound disorder in
the finances of the Indebted country.
Then comes the Intervention for an in
definite period.
The Argentine Republic proposed to
shelter the American states from such a
Eva ha
the doctrine Of coercion was legitimate.
NJ. Drago persists in maintaining that
violent methods of collection of debts
are inapplicable to this continent, and
that is so for the irrefutable reason that
Its immediate consequence is subordina-
ton, and in the not distant future the
occupation under the title Of protectorate
or sphere of influence" a double event
uality which the traditional policy of the
one America or the other will never ac-
cept
M. Moulin, professor OF International law
at the University of Dion, is the author
of an article in the Revue
Verbal Generate de Droit Interna-
tional Public for May-August
on the Drago doctrine. The
author commences by noting an important
error which appears in the translation OF
the Argentine note of December %. 1902, in
which the expression control their
finances reads in the original message of
Monroe of December 2, 1893, control their
destinies.
The text in effect in the original is as