The Washington herald., 1914-06-23
Germany IN the West Indies.
ny JosEPH EDGAR CHtMRERLIN.

Oefmany N Ine WeSI lnoleS.
ny JosEPH EDGAR CHGMBERLIN.
The menacing policy which the German govern
ment has adopted toward Denmark, growing out oi
the resistance of the Danes of North Schleswig tc
the Germanizng influences applied in that annexed
province, has an indirect concern for Americans II
il is true that this pressure upon Denmark is part
of policy of provocation which looks toward the
future extinction of the Danish kingdom and the
annexation of that country to Germany, one resul,
OF the policy would be the transfer of the Danish
West Indian Islands of St. croix, ST. Thomas and
ST. John to the German crown, and the establish
ment of 6rst-class German naval station in the
Antilles, lying near the path between New York and
the Panama Canal, and dominating Porto Rico and
the island of Haiti.
Possessed by Denmark, these islands constitute no
menace to the power of the United States because
Denmark is not a world power not conceivable
rival of the United States in any situation:~
More than once the United States has sought the
island of ST. Thomas, the harbor of which Charlotte
Amalie) is one of the deepest finest, most secure,
most easily defensble in the West Indies The peo-
pie of all these Danish islands were very anxious
to be annexed to the United States and treaty for
their sale to this country was signed with Denmark
in January, 1909. This treaty was ratified by the
United States Senate, but rejected by the Danish
Landsthing by small majority, because of the op-
position of the Danish King and at the time this
lection generally attributed to German influence
The islands have cost the Danish government
100000 year; the Danish people do not really want
them, and the United States offered 100000 for
them. But an intrigue of sort kept them in
Denmark's hands, after the Danish government had
thus signed treaty for heiE transfer to the United
States.
All along, at that epoch, German writers were
strongly advocating the acquisition Of these islands
by Germany. Prof Sarorius Won Waltershausen, in
his book, Germany and the Commercial Policy of
the United States" 1889, said 1T would give a
powerful impulse to our trade and shipping if we
had port OF own in the West Indies with
trade emporium and coaling station. Such acqusi-
ton is not impossible, the Danish islands are in
sense in the market" And Waltershausen went
on to say: Should German diplomacy at Copen-
hagen prove able to overcome the anti-Geman re-
sstance of the Danes 1889 is the time for us
acquire the islands for the United States are in
volved with Spain and have money TO spare"
The business of German commercial lines prac-
tically keeps ST. Thomas alive, and it is not very
strange that German commercial publicsts should de-
sire to make it really a German port. But Germany
cannot under present conditions buy from Denmark
nor would the United States consent to such trans
fer by purchase. 1t is now recognized as contrary
to the principles of the Monroe doctrine for one
European country to transfer by sale to another
European country any American possession that it
may have European powers may keep the posses
sons they have but the Monroe doctrine says that
they shall not acquire others. But If may be as
sumed that if the German empire were to conquer
Denmark and annex it outright the sovereignty of
the Danish West Indies would automatically pass
to the German crown.
However it is quite probable that all worry about
such contingency may be dismissed for the pres
ent 1t is true that the German imperial govern
ment has made emphatic representations to the gov
ernment of Denmark regarding the anti-German
propaganda of the Danes in north Schleswig Natur-
ally the Danish government possessing authority
whatever in German Scheswig. is powerless to stop
that propaganda. But if Germany now to make
war upon Denmark with annexing purpose at the
back of the war, this step would almost certainly
provoke obstructive action the part OF Great Britain
and France.
Denmark could not resist Germany alone. The
German feet is powerful enough to blow her island
cities out of the water. and Jutland would be an
easy prey for a German army advancing from
Schleswg. But the needs of Europe and particu-
larly the watchfu opposition of Great Britain and
France. hold a check upon the conquest of this
stubborn little kingdom Of fewer than 100000 people
Prussia took Schleswig- Holsten away from Den
mark in 1860. HoIstein was mainly German, but
Schleswig was essentially Danish. The Dansh-speak
ing population of Schleswig- -Hosten in 1910 was
I64Iz7, and many of those classed German-speak-
ing are Danish in sympathy.
Throughout Europe the sentiment of nationality
is at this day intense. Nowhere does attempt
succeed transform any people into another nation
ay than that in which it is. born, to force upon
another than its native tongue. Poles refuse to
be Germanzed or Russianized; Slavs refuse to be
Germanized or Magyarized; Greeks remain Greek in
Turkey or Bulgaria, and Danes are intensely Danish
under the German flag.
Bad Habit for Clerks
Wr;tinu letters boorlinp gold mine stock on Senate