Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-07
cAsrRo's WARFARE
Is Against the Nationalist Alone. Saws n,
urbaneja.

Willemstad' Island of Coracoa. Oct
o. ooay, representative of The As
soclated Press interviewed Dr AIeian-
dro urpaheJa, president of the exacu-
i've committee OF the Venezuelan M
tlonalist revolutionary party REGARD !
ing the political situation. JTrba nei, iS
the virtual leader of the party and the
personal representative Of "Irna,
Mocho.' General Hernandez He wos
cabinet minister under former Prasi-
dent Crespo and is prominent Ia wver.
Today. he is an exile in Curacao
THE Nationalist until the present
time, said DIR. Urbaneja. have mas
siVely witnessed President Castro.s .t-
titude and actions toward Colnmbi..
put they are now compelled to protest
against them. Neither the Nationalists
nor the country at large have eyer sus
tanned the actions of Castro. actions
Whlch now promise an international
war The Nationalist do not desire
war with sister republic, nor would
they follow Castro in such war. ON
the contrary they. as well as the conn
try at large. would refuse to nartici-
pate.
Venezuela, there would be no necessity
ior Nastr"s forcible recruiting. as at
present, in order to obtain an army To
PUNISH the OFFENDING country In such
an event all Venezuela would Loyalty
and enthusiastically join to punish the
offender.
Il do not think President Castro will
declare war against Colombia In the
fiiSt place, to do so legally. he must
obtain the consent of the Venezuelan
Congress. which will not convene before
February next. In the second place
DO not believe the members of the
Venezuelan Congress- although thev
are all partisans Of President Castro.
would ever consent to ruinous war
with Colombia. in order to help Colom-
bian reVolutionists
Neither do l believe in the possi-
bilty OF the reconstruction of Gran CO.
iombia by force of arms. Bolivar's
achievement was effected under certain
special conditions that do not exist. to-
day. Perhaps a Gran Colombia is DOS
Slble through peaceful, intellectual
operations, but never by military force
All the talk now INDUCED in on this
subject is mere pretext. blind to
cover the personal ambitions of a few
men.
president Castro recently ordered
the Imprisonment Of all Nationalist in
Venezuela. This convinces me that he
does not intend to declare war against
colombia, because. after eliminating
the Nationalist, there would be COM
par2tively few Nenezuelans left who
La
men anu money needed to wage HOSTILE
ties against Colombia.
My principal reason for not believ-
ing a declaration of war will be made
lies in President Castro's attitude to-
ward the international political situa-
ton. If he intended to declare war. he
would attempt to unite all EeneZue-
lanS of all political creeds in a solid
front against Colombia. Quite the con-
trary is the case. He is prosecuting the
numerous Nationalists and the latter
will before long lose patience, turn on
their tormentor actively and in arms
and declare against him in retaliation.
In the improba bic event Of his declar-
ing war against Colombia, President
Castro would receive only the support
of a few of the most extreme Of his
partisans. The others would desert
him.
concerning Ell Mocho. who is a
prisoner at SAN Carlos. | can say that
Notwithstanding his continuous soil
tary confinement in a dark and unven-
tilated cell. Notwithstanding the chains
on his arms and legs. the lack of exer-
else and the wretched food, his health
is enduring the severe strain