New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-12-24
AWAITS FORMAL OFFER.
PRESIDENT UNDECIDED.
The Yenezuelan Controversy Con-
adered by fhe Cabinet.
IBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBuSE.l

TBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE.1
Washington. Dec 23.-President Roosevelt dls-
cussed the offer of Great Britain and Germany
to make him the sole arbitrator of the venez-
uelan controversy with his Cabinet to-day NO
conclusion was reached as to the answer the
President will make if ne is formally invited 10
act. and none will be reached in advance or
the formal invitation 1t developed tnaC
there was some divergence of views in the Caoi-
net. More than of the Presidents ADVISERS
inclined to the belief that it might be we'll for
him to accept if IL should appear that otherwise
the British and German governments would oe-
cline to submit the controversy to arbitration
Others took the ground that, under no ctrcum-
stances. should the President accept the offer
The interest of the country is thoroughly
aroused by what is regarded in many quarters
as crisis in the international relations OF the
United States. and the President and members
of the Cabinet are receiving large numbers or
kilograms from all over the country Some OF
the senders Of these dispatches tell the President
he ought TO accept Offhand. while most OF those
from men of such standing TO entitle their
opinions to consideration. and in many instances
from men of the highest Judgment. express the
belief that it will be grave mistake for the
President to undertake to act arbitrator.
AS result of the incoaclusive discussion by
the Cabinet there has been no change in the
situation to-day. The President is still waiting
for the reply of Great Britain and Germany to
his informal answer to their informal sugges
tion that he act arbitrator, in which he re-
newed his suggestion that the controversy be
referred to The Hague tribunal rather than to
him. Although it is currently reported that this
reply will be in the nature of a formal request
that he shall act arbitrator, he has Off
cial information to this effect and will not indi-
cate what his reply will be until it is received.
tn Fav- of +ba
acceptance by the President of the task Of ad-
Indicating the questions at issue is that in some
way the validity and force of the Monroe Doc
trine might be called into question. and that IL
would not be safe to allow this question TO be
passed upon by The Hague tribunal No one
seems to be clear as to just how the Monroe
Doctrine can be called into question, but any
such visionary danger can be fully guarded
against by stipulations in the protocol providing
for the reference to arbitration. AS the Euro
pean powers have broken off diplomatic rela-
tions with Venezuela and are dealing only with
the United States as the representative of that
country the President will have charge Of the
negotiation of the preliminary protocol with
Great Britain, Germany and such other powers
as may be included in the arbitration. and it will
be within his power to shape it to prevent
the Monroe Doctrine being called into question
in any way. The view of the administration is
that the only questions which can properly come
before the arbitraI tribunal are the validity Of
the CaIvo Doctrine. which will be urged by Ven
ezuela against many of the claims; the validity
Of the claims themselves, and the amounts to be
awarded in settlement OF such as shall be estab-
Iished.