The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-10-06
GOETHE FORETOLD
BUILDING OF CANAL
Great German Said Americans
Would Link the Oceans
at Panama.

1t is interesting. Just at this time, wher
the worlds diplomacy is SO agitated ovel
the action Of Congress and the President
in adopting legislation discriminating
against foreign ships in the matter OF
tolls through the Panama Canal; when
England's protest and claim of treaty
violation are an incident Of yesterday,
and there is such general speculation re-
garding Germany's designs in South
America, TO find a prophetic utterance OF
Goethe, Germany's greatest poet and
philosopher, bearing intimately upon the
canal and its part in the development of
civilization.
Nearly every philosopher who has left
the legacy of his genius to succeeding
generations has found a certain comfort
in the autumn Of his life by turning
prophet. Voltaire and Rousseau and
many OF the later Germans were notable
examples. Among these last mentioned,
Goethe assumed the role most entertain
ingfy and most spontaneously, but with
entire disregard for the preservation of
his prophetic thoughts.
What we know Of Goethe as a prophet
is chiefly owing to the restless and in
defatigable Johann Peter Eckermann-a
person fully as persistent, IL not so YER
bose as James Boswell-whose "Ges-
prache nit Goethe has a place Of honor
in every German library, although un-
translated and little known to English
readers. Eckermann lived in Weimar
through the last ten years of Goethe's
life. Scarcely a day passed in which
he did not visit the poet, then a retired
states minister. living quietly and alb
senting himself from court and theater
alike. so that Eckermann's work is
careful daily gathering of the intellec-
tual crumbs that fell from the feast of
GOethe's alert and active brain, arranged
somewhat in the form of a diary. Thus
he reports the conversation which took
place February Il 1927. Goethe, on this
day, says Eckermann. spoke with ad-
miration of Alexander Won Humboldt,
whose work on Cuba and Colombia he
had begun reading and whose opinion of
the project of cutting through the 18TH
mus seemed to have Il special appeal for
him.
Humboldt" said Goethe. has pointed
out. with an accurate understanding of
the subject, several other places. where,
by the utilization of a number of
streams flowing into the Gulf of Mexi-
co, the object might be more readily at
tanned. The solution of this problem is
left TO tho enterprising spirit of a fu-
ture generation. Yet this much is GER
tain, II a canal, capable of Transporting
vessels OF every size and tonnage from
the Gulf OF Mexico to the Pacific Ocean,
We're constructed, II would produce in
calculable advantages for civilized and
uncivilized humanity. And should be
greatly surprised IL the United States
missed their opportunity to accomplish
such an enterprise. Il
TT Is TO be anticipated that this
young nation, with its pronounced
Westward movement, will, within thirty
or forty years, have taken possession
of the great stretches of land beyond
the Rocky Mountains and populated
them. Furthermore, II Is probable that |
all along the Pacific Coast where nature
has provided safe and spacious harbors
there will in time rise up many COM
mercially important coast cities to han
die an important trade between the
United States and China and the East
Indies. But under these circumstances, |
1t would be not only desirable, but al |
most essential, that merchant vessels, as |
well as warships, maintain more rapid |
communication between the East and |
West coasts OF North America than has
hitherto been possible by way of the
tedious, disegreeable, and expensive /
journey around Cape Horn.
It repeat, therefore, 1t is absolutely es-
sential for the United States to establish |
a passage from the Gulf OF Mexico to
the Pacific Ocean. and I am sure they
Will attain this end.
Il should like to live to see this, but
/ shall not. 1 should also like to see
a connection established between the
Danube and the Rhine. Yet this under
taking, too. is so gigantic that I doubt
Its accomplishment, especially when I
consider our German financial limitations
Finally, should like to see the Eng
fish in possession OF a Suez Canal. These
three great things should like to see
accomplished. 1t would be well worth
while on their account to bear with life
al ho1 4
Goethe died in 1892. just thirty-seven
years before the Suez Canal was opened
for navigation and forty-three years be-
fore England gained control OF 1t by pur-
chase OF the Khedive's shares; also
eighty-three years before the date set
for the opening Of the Panama Canal
New York Evening Pos.