COMPENSATION FOR GERMANY. [To THE EDITOR OF TEE " SPECTATOR.")
Sin,—The peace of Europe being again disturbed, the atten- tion of the world at large is concentrated on what questions may arise on the finale of the present war in the Near East. That the Powers will come to an amicable agreement is earnestly to be hoped, nay, may confidently be expected. But in order to promote this happy solution any possible cause of friction ought to be emasculated from the controversy, should such arise, by the Concert of Europe ; and from the point of view of Great Britain, far removed as she is from the area of conflict, this aim should be of the most supreme importance. The only really serious diplomatic differences of the last few years between this country and any other have been those with Germany, leading on two occasions almost to the brink of rupture. That there is any real enmity between Great Britain and Germany I do not believe, but the bickerings between the two countries, largely fomented by the injudicious attitude of the minor press of both countries, have led to a growing estrangement. The grievance of Germany against this country is that England has obstructed that colonial expansion which is so needed by her for her surplus popula- tion. There is a way for Germany to realize her aspirations of colonial development which can in no way clash with the sus- ceptibilities or interests of her blood relation. There exists one of the richest, if not absolutely the richest, and worst-governed countries of the world in the Western hemisphere, where life in the local towns and provinces is not safe for a moment, where fighting in the streets and vicinities of the towns is so frequent that it attracts little attention from anyone except the actual participants, a country of extreme disorder and corruption ; and that country is Brazil. Let Germany take Brazil. She would find her expansion, Brazil would become safe, civilized, and enormously prosperous. But, someone interposes, "the Monroe Doctrine." My answer is, the Monroe Doctrine in modern times is the biggest possible piece of "bluff," generally trotted out for electioneering purposes before a Presidential campaign. If the United States insist on the inviolability of the Monroe Doctrine, let them also undertake what it entails, the security to human life and the peace of the States of Southern America, in most of which human life is not respected, notably in Venezuela, Ecuador, and Brazil. If the United States wish to exercise a kind of suzerainty over these States, they ought to police them. If they do not, then let someone else. There is no recognized standing for the Monroe Doctrine in international law. In the year 1835 Great Britain extended her boundaries in Honduras. Mr. Andrew Jackson, the then President, "oared for none of these things." In 1841 Britain seized the Isle of Ruatan, off Honduras, without any prokest from the United States; and Germany, with similar immunity, has blockaded the ports of Nicaragua in order to obtain com- pensation for an insult to one of her consuls. Moreover, France in 1864 landed troops in Mexico in order to place the Emperor Maximilian on the throne. Therefore it is reasonable to suppose that except at certain periods the Monroe Doctrine would not be asserted by the American nation ; but even if it was, Germany with her superior navy could scarcely be deterred from her purpose by any naval combination produced by the Western hemisphere. For the annexation of Brazil a great attack vi et armis might scarcely be necessary. There is a large German population, especially at Sao Paulo, which is being rapidly developed by German capital. The Brazilian Government is never too popular, and a sum of secret-service money might accomplish more than the roar of artillery or the spluttering of rifle fire. Once accomplished, the vast resources of the country, under a stable government assisted by a diminution of crime and corruption, would be opened out to the civilized world, the trade would double, Great Britain would reap an advantage by a largely increased commerce with Brazil, increased friendship with Germany, and the life and property of her citizens in Brazil would he rendered comparatively safe. Again, I repeat, let Germany
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