Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-13
Venezuela's Rights.

Already doubts have arisen in the British
mind as to the wisdom of the act of seizing
and destroying Venezuela's naval vessels.
The dispatches from London indicate de-
sire on the part of the officials there to
cast the responsibility upon German
shoulders for that unwarranted breach OF
international customs and wauton and fool
ish destruction of property. In Berlin the
fact of the destruction is not officially ad-
mitted, and 1t is urged that IL the ships
were sunk it was presumably because OF
resistance. Furthermore dispatches are ex-
hibited there showing that the seizure was
accomplished by one British and two Ger
man warships. Thus the Berlin program
seems to be to apologize In effect for the
occurrence by alleging a military necessity
hich does not now appear from the dis
patches and to force England to share the
responsibility.
The more the case Is examined the more
fragrant the action of the allies appears to
have been. Venezuela Is an organized
state, compact to the point Of despotism.
1t has just suppressed revolution and the
power of the recognized head of govern
ment is unQuestioned. The state Is rated
among the nations with all privileges OF
member of the family. However unruly at
times because of revolts. It Is in no state Of
anarchy now nor in immediate danger of
falling into such state. 1t cannot, there
fore. be treated by foreign powers as was
China a short time ago, when the Boxer
movement precipitated conditions which re-
suited in joint foreign invasion and the
commission by the allies of many acts not
permitted by the strict laws Of interna-
tional intercourse.
no ty,,pr n NenaZuHla
arresting foreign subjects-assuming that
this was not done to save their lives from
the mob-cannot be regarded as justlfIca-
ton of the destruction of the ships,
whether it preceded or followed that act.
Even in international affairs one wrong
does not justify another. Considered In the
light of present knowledge it would seem
that President Castro now has good ground
for damage claim against England and
Germany for the destruction OF his prop
erty. If the ships had not been destroyed
he would have had a right to enter the
seizure item as an offset against the money
claims of the allies. In fact the seizure,
short of being an actual act of warfare
following a formal declaration, for the pur-
pose of weakening an enemy's fighting
capacity, could be justified only upon the
ground of establishing British and Ger
man lien upon venezuelan property as
guarantee of payment.
Venezuelas appeal for arbitration need
not be considered as tardy. II there has
been precpitancy in the case it has been
due to the reckless, impetuous manage
ment of the British and German diplomats
and officers. The former acted irregularly
in the delivery of the ultimatums and the
latter followed this by apparently violat-
ing al precedents in the seizure and de-
struction of ships. If the case has passed
beyond the stage of peaceful adjustment 1t
is more largely the fault of the allies than
of Venezuela. This fact should operate in
Venezuela's favor in determining the re-
ception of the present proposal, made
through the United States. The case Is
fairly open to arbitration. it is Of nature
to yield readily to testimony and argu-
ment and it surely should not be pressed
beyond that point because of the hasty
acts of the British and German officials.
Their mistakes should not be allowed to
rob Venezuela of its rights, whatever may
have been the Irritating hardness of that
country In the payment of it's just debts.