import java.util.*; class AAA { private void foo(List list) { for (String val : list) { checkVal(val); } } private void checkVal(String message) { if (message == null) return; message = message.trim(); if (message.isEmpty()) return; try { Integer.parseInt(message); } catch (NumberFormatException e) { return; } throw new IllegalArgumentException("Should not be a number!"); } }