Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-25
THE BRITISH PERIL
o Editor Of The Evenin0 Ledger

| To tho Editor OF the EventnO Ledger
slr-The Gaceta de ColonIa, of Uruguay
published recently an article by Gustavo
| Stegenbach about the English peril in South
America, which revealed profund knowl-
edge OF conditions of that part OF our con-
tinent
During the two years of war we have
seen that England looks after her own in
terests, that always and everywhere she
thinks only OF her own benefit. Why should
she make an exception of the case of South
America?
1t is a means already much employed by
the English-that of propagatlng in the
South American States the fear of Ger
man peril in order to produce an anti
German feeling. This propaganda has be-
come intensified, even since the beginning
of the European war. For this purpose
England calls the attention to the German
immigration. Notwithstanding that this has
been almost stationary for the last ten
years The number OF Germans coming to
Argentina between 1870 and 1918 is 10000,
while that OF the English is 10000,
In Brazil Tin the States of Sac Paulo and
Rio Grande do SUD there are about $4,000
German colonsts. This number has re-
mained stationary for several years. The
number of German residents in Chill Is
about 10000.
Today II has even insInuated in the coun-
tries of the A B that Germany has
toward recognizing the English rule In all
the other colonies and, moreover. permit
ting the usurpation by England OF the colo
niles of all the other European nations in
exchange for the English permission to es-
tablsa in South America. violating the Mon-
roe Doctrine, New Germany"
Even the North Americans have been
attracted by this fantasy. as Is shown by
the book "Pan-Germansm," by Prof. r.
G. Usher, Of the University of Washington.
II is not difficult to imagine that the work
OF these Missionaries has not circulated
without its effects in the South American
countries, as is shown by the rather un-
friendly attitude toward Germany in some
parts of the A b countries the effect
heightened by the influence OF English cap
ital In connection with the press,
What then is the truth2 1t Is the truth
that those who see in each neighbOr a
thief are themselves the most covetOus. This
is the case with England.
II was England which, 100 years ago,
tried by all forceful means 10 conquer one
OF Spain's richest colonies while the latter
was engaged In a war against Napoleon.
mand OF an English feet, entered the bar
Dor OF the La Plata River to conquer
Buenos Aires. then the capital OF the colo
nies. The invader appropriated the public
funds OF about one and half million dol
lars, and this was sent to London.
The valor of the natives soon put an end
to the piratical expedition OF the English.
But the appetite OF the English was en-
tirely too great 10 be easily curbed Two
months later the Admiral. Sir Home Pop
ham, attacked MonteYide0, occupied the
city and sent General Whlteocks, with
slxty-one vessels and 900 men. against
Buenos Aires, which once more repulsed the
invaders, taking good part OF them pris-
oneFs. II this piratical design had sue
eeeded. the Rio de La Plata would today
be English.
Almost thirty years later, when Argen-
tina was already an independent countrys
the English appeared on the Falkland
Islands (now called the Malyinas) and oc-
eupied them "breYl manu-" and never re-
turned them to their legitimate owner, re-
gardless of her many protestations.
Tie Malvinas control the entrance 10 the
Strait OF Magellan and the route 10 Cape
Horn II England had not been IA posses
sion OF this maritime station Il would have
been impossible for her to prepare an
ambush for the German feet, such as took
place some time ago.
And what about Brazil? When this coun-
try was a Portuguese colony the English.
having made piFatical invasions IN 1885,
1891 and 1855. robbed burned and devas-
tated Bahia Santos. san Vicente and Per-
namhuco. Only because they did not feel
strong enough they did not take possession
then. q that brazllzn land. Eut II i8e6
the British tried b. an means b eapturs
lhe lalaaa q 4E.aiaaa BraklI pres
a ana ~ e aEfaz ~ s