The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-26

net spent the entire time of the meet
ing today in the discussion of the Vene-
zuelan situation. Views for and against
the presidents acceptance of the in
vitation to arbitrate were discussed.
Pending the receipt of the invitations it
is stated that the president declines
to commit himself as to his course.
Secretary Hay brought to the meet
ing practically nothing new relating to-
the situation. No response had been
received to the presidents original sug-
gestion to the powers that they consent
to the reference of the Venezuelan CON-
troversy to the arbitration of The Ha-
que tribunal, and no formal request
had been received that the president act
as arbitrator of the difficulty. That
st1ch request will be received formal
Iy and officially is now practically ;;s-
sured. 1t is known that the president
and all of the members of his cabiaet
at first preferred that the whole queS-
tion should be referred to The Hague
tribunal. 1t is understood that the
presidents plan if he determines to ar
bitrate contemplate the appointment
of a board of arbitrators. 1t is stated
that the crucial point TO come befor"
the arbitration is the famous "Calvo
doctrine" This doctrine which was
laid down by the greatest of Latin
American internationl lawyers and foc
many years has been regarded as Ge-
yond question by all OF the Latin
American republics, denies the right of
any nation to intervene automatically
I'm behalf of one of its subjects. where
the courts of the country are open 4"
his application for justice. Thus,
ho Of
these claimants, British. German, Itai-
ian, French, might have gone before
the Venezuelan courts and if their
causes had been just and so decided
by the courts the government would
have paid the judgments. The objec-
ton to this view is that no account is
taken of miscarriageS of justice and OF
racial antipathies-
1t is known that now some members
of the cabineI are opposed to referring
the matter to The Hague tribunal for
these reasons:
In the first place they have no L.
sire to submit the Monroe Doctrine to
the arbitrament of any non-American
tribunal, not even excepting the Au-
gust and eminently fair tribunal of
The Hague.
= They very much prefer that If this
doctrine is to be the subject of ar5i-
tration. if it is to be even brought IN
shall pass on IL.
Another reason that anmiateS these
cabinet officers in this inclination to-
ward acceptance is their conviction
that All inordinate length of time will
be consumed If the issue is taken be-
S~fore The Hague tribunal. This would
! lengthen the period of the blockade
with danger Of actual hostilities.
The Caracas Allowed to Enter LA
Caracas, Venezuela, December 23--
The Red Cd" Line steamer Caracas
safely entered the harbor of La Guail 8
at 8 o'clock this morning.
The mail, freight and passengers ~
the Caracas were landed at 10 O'Clock
The captain of the British cruiser
Tribune notified the commander of the
Caracas that throughout her stay
at La Guaira she must leave th'
harbor every night. This measure j!
regarded as vexatious and causes grea
expense to the owners of the steam
er.
The decision to admit the Cara
cas- was not arrived at without som
difficulty. due 1t is claimed here, to tn
lack OF unity of action on the part o
the allies. The commander of tn
British cruiser Tribune yesterday not!
fed Mr.. Schuck. the consul of Grea
Britain, that the Caracas could ente
the port of LaGuaira today. Ihe Irio
une then sailed from La Guaira leav
ing the Italian cruiser Giovanni Eau
san in charge OF the blockade. Tn
first act of the commander of III
Rausan was to notify the agents of tn
Red 3D." Line that the Caracas wout
not be allowed to land her passengers
mails or freight. Mr.. Boulton. of Boul
ton & Company, agents of the line an
all the foreign merchants entered pro
tests against. the Italian commander
decision as violating the terms of tn
decree establishing the blockade. Mean
while Lieutenant Command Diehl, q
the Marietta, after an hours confer
ence with the Italian commander. sue
ceeded in convincing him he was wron
In his Interpretation of the biockad
DEGREES and finally the captain Of ia
Giovanni Bausan assured Lieutenar
Commander Diehl that tie Caraca
would be allowed to enter the port c
La Guaira without hindrance.
The German warship which passe
La Guaira Sunday towing two lare
schooners was the Panther. She car
- tured the vessels near Maracaibo.
German cruiser Gazelle arrive