GERMANY AND LATIN AMERICA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3098, 31 May 1917, Page 4

GERMANY AND LATIN AMERICA

Of far greater interest and moment than appears on tho surface is tho altitude- of Brazil as indicated in to-day's cable news. Tho entry of Brazil into the war on the side of the Entente Powers, though it would not bo of any .great importance as a military' factor, would carry a marked' significance as indicating that Germany _ has miscalculated as seriously in her schemes relating to Latin America as in those affecting othor parts of tho world. Brazil is the largest of the South American States, and it is in Brazil that Germany has most elaborately developed her plans for gaining an established foothold in Latin America. German immigrants havo been pouring into Brazil in very large numbers during tho last few years, and in the crisis precipitated by tho lawless outrages of the enemy submarines these colonists arrogantly sought to intimidate tho BrazilianGovernment by threatening to bring about a state of civil war if it should venture to go to extremes with Germany. The threat was not one to be lightly regarded, for three of tho southern provinces of the Republic are practically, German colonics. Tho German population of these three provinces numbers about half a million souls. They hold most of the wealth and the best lands, and tho crisis when it arose found the males f mong them organised for war and provided with arms. Following on' Brazil's severance of diplomatic relations with Germany last month, tho Germans of the southern provinces carried out their threat .and revolted, but the enterprise seems to have been a flash in tho pan. No definite news of the suppression of the revolt has yet been cabled, but tho fact that Brazil is taking orderly measures to assume the status of abelligerent indicates that she is not seriously embarrassed by treachery and revolt within her borders.

Brazil's prospective action takes on greatly increased significance in view of the fact that the Latin republics, with the exception of. Mexico, have acted throughout in close concert since the present trouble with Germany arose. They have not all taken the definite step of breaking off relations with Germany, but they agreed from the outset in refusing to accept the barred zone decreo and in maintaining their right to free navigation of oceans. Rumours gained currency last month that Chile had been engaged by Germany in treacherous designs against her neighbours, but they seem to have* been without foundation. Available evidence goes to show that the Latin republics in general are wholly in sympathy with the attitude taken up by Brazil, and that a mimbcr of them are likely to follow ber lead if she outers the war. Several of the larger republics, like Brazil, have lost ships and have had their citizens murdered by the enemy submarines. The German revolt in Brazil will assist, also, to awaken the other republics to the unpleasant possibilities of German penetration, and will usefully supplement the educative influence of the Zimmerman Note and other evidences of Germany's calculating perfidy in international affairs. Some of the republics are unlikely to go to war with Germany in any circumstances, but it is very possible that tho events and revelations of tho war may .iesul_t in their taking common and united measures for the defeat of Germany's colonising ambitions in South America.

To Germany the, state of affairs in South America , which culminates for the time being in the warlike attitude of Biazil represents the wrecking of years of laborious effort. It is no secret that she hoped to gain a commanding position in the South American continent. Even Bismarck, who was indifferent to colonies in general and was able to take only au academic interest in South America, was stirred to wrath by the assertion of the Monroe Doctrine by the United States, and denounced it as an "incredible impertinence" towards the rest of the world.

'Nib Monroe Doctrine (he said) is merely an act of violence-, based upon Brent strength, toward all American States and toward those, European States which possess interests in America. If we desire to stale a European doctrine similar to that overweening American doctrine, we must imagine that somo European State, let us say France or Russia, should claim that it would not allow any alteration of the frontiers of Europe to take place except' with its consent, or wo must imagine that some preponderant Asiatic Power, such as Russia or England, should ndvance the pretension that it would not allow a change in Asia's political rotations except with its permission!

In later days prominent Germans have had less to say about the Monroe Doctrine, but they have gone much more definitely to work in planning Gorman aggrandisement in South America, and have shown

themselves even more ready than Bismarck was to challenge- the Doetrine. For instance, Professor Gustav vox Schmoller wrote in a recent pamphlet:

We must desire that at all costs a German country' containing 20,00O,O"00 or <'H),000,000 Germans may grow up in the twentieth century in South Brazil, ami that no matter whether it remain a portion of Brazil, or becomes a self-con-tained State, or enters into closo isolations with our Empire. Unless our connection with Brazil is always secured W ships of war, and unless Germany is able to exercise pressure there, our development is threatened.

Brazil and her sister republics have had ample warning, and are the more likely on that account, to take effective action with a view to defeating Germany's designs. Their action would bring an immediate accession of strength to the Entente, but would be still more welcome as promising to intensify the punishment of isolation which is in store for Germany when the war has conic to an end.