New-York tribune., 1912-01-22
DR.. [ M. DRAGO COMING
Argentine Statesman to Lecture
at Columbia University.
FRAMED "DRAG0 DOCTRINE"
Author of South Americas "Ad-
dition to Monroe Doctrine
Has Had Notable Career.

m Iuia M Drago author of the much
,olled of DraRo doctrine opposing the en-
pioyrnent of armed force in the COLLECTION
OF private debts, will deliver a series Oh
lectures on international law at CoiufnDla
University during the coming fall accoro-
ing 10 dispatches received from Buenos
Ayres yesterday. DR.. Drago, the caole
said, would leave Argentina for Europe IN
Nav and arrive in this country some time
in October. He informed Ernesto Bosch
Argentine Minister OF Foreign Affairs, on
Saturday Of his intention TO lecture mere
DIR. Drago was himself the Argentine
Minister of Foreign Affairs for many years
and was acting in that capacity unoer
President Roca when he drew up the state
paper which carried his name into every
civilized country of the world. 1t was on
the occasion Of the simultaneous appear
ance off the coast of Venezuela of an ltal-
ian. a German and an English warshlp
each come to collect a private debt owed
by rho nation to individuals in their re-
spective countries Though in no way con-
cerned in the hostile demonstration Dr'
Drago formulated an addition to the Mon
roe Doctrine pointing out that the collec-
ton of private loans by military means
implied potential occupation OF territory
and was therefore at variance with the
spirit Of the American policy. He submit
ted the brief TO General Roca.
His Executive displayed little interest IN
the document and handed 1t back TO us
author when finished with the comment
that il was uuixotic After a brief argu-
,nent. which failed to make the President
see the value of the doctrine, he submitted
\ L. not the nrSL tlIlle
that the impetuous statesman had wanteu
70 resign when the government was not
run as he thought It ought to be. His res
ignation was not accepted. The trouble
some document was submitted 10 General
Mi:re, considered one of Argentina S ledu-
ing statesmen, and he advised that II oe
forwarded Immediately TO the Argentine
Minister at Washington
II was there handed TO Secretary OF state
HAY. officially acknowledged by him. ana
soon appeared in the newspapers all over
the world. Nearly every South American
country published its Endorsement or the
doctrine. The argument employed by Dr'
Drago was that since the creditors knew
that the finances of the small South Amer
,can countries were limited when they FUR
nlshed the loans they should not attempt
10 recover by force, but should bring the
erring nation to trial before an interna-
tionsl tribunal
THE only principle which the Argentine
Republic maintains" the doctrine ran. and
which It would with great satisfaction see
adopted in view of the events in Venezuela
is the principle that there can be no more
territorial expansion in America on the part
of Europe, nor any oppression Of the peo-
pies Of this continent because an untortu-
nate financial situation may compel some
one of them to postpone the fulfilment OF
its promises"
A native OF the Argentine capital, Luis
Maria Drago was educated in the city oil
his birth and was graduated from the
School of Law in Buenos Ayres In 1857.
During the first ten years of his legal ca
reer he occupied number of important
judicial posts and was at the same time
an editorial writer on two OF the leading
newspapers of the city. He also published
several works on law, since widely recog-
nzed, and translated a considerable bit of
standard English fiction into Spanish.
At the time of the promulgation of the
Drago doctrine. I'm 1902, he was forty-four
years of age. He represented Argentina at
The Hague Conference I'm 1907 and was a
member of the tribunal which in the fall
of 1910 rendered the award I'm the North
east Atlantic fisheries case between Great
Britain and the United States