Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-28
VENEZUELAN COMMISSION
It is Said That It Will Be Announced
Ear.y Next Week.
No Confirmation as Yet of the Report
That Chief Justice Alvey Is
to BE One of Them.

Unusual reticence Is observed at the
White House and the State Department
in regard to the proposed commission to
investigate the Venezuela Guiana boun-
dairy question. No information on the sub
ject was obtainable at either place. The
officials declined to answer any question
bearing on the possible composition of the
commission and would not even voachsafe
a prediction as to when the commission
might be appointed Although no one in
the secret would say so, the surface indi-
cations are that the commission will not
be announced until next week.
1t is fully expected that the President will
complete the selection of the commissioners
and be prepared TO announce their appoint
ment Monday or Tuesday next with the
chances i'll favor of the latter day. There
will be a meeting 81 the cabinet on that
day, and the matter will probably come up
then for final consideration.
1t appears to be settled that Chief Justice
Richard II. Alvey of the Court of Appeals
of the District will be 4 member of the COM
mission if he finis that he can serve with
out prejudice to his judicial duties.
He had conference with the President
on the subject Thursday afternoon. in the
course of which the President invited him
to serve as member of the commission.
He was very much surprised at the propo-
sition, and while expressing his appreca-
ton of the compliment, requested time to
consider the matter. The President ex-
pressed the hope that lie would find it con-
venient to serve, and said he would give
him time to think ii over.
Although not man of national promi-
hence, Judge Alvey Is recognized by all
who know him one of the ablest law
yers in the country. He stands especially
high in the esteem of bench. bar and laity
in this section of the country, where his
wisdom and integrity are known through
his long service in the courts of Maryland
and the District of Columbia. In addition
to his great knowledge of the law. he is a
fine lingust, and is said 10 be specially
familiar with the Spanish, German and
French languages. 1t was because of his
knowledge of Spanish and German, as
we'll as his legal qualifications. that the
President selected him for service on the
commission.
His familiarity with these languages will
be of valuable assistance to the commits
sion in their examination of the archives
of Spain and Holland covering the history
of the cessions to Venezuela and Great
Britain. respectively. Moreover, Spanish
The records of that country are kept in
that language.
Judge Alvey is at present at Hagerstown.
Mr.. VIM. Alvey, general agent of the
Baltimore and Ohio railway, was seen by a
Star reporter today, but said that he did
not know that such an offer had been made
He had not seen his father, he said, since
Thursday. He had had no intimation then
regarding the matter, and none since, ex-
cept from the reports that had been gen.
orally circulated. His brother, who Is pri-
vate secretary to Commissioner Truesdel;,
lad no definite knowledge of the matter.