New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-12-24
ATTITUDE OF C4BINET.
Opinion DiUided as to the PreSi-
dents acceptance.
CRv The Associated Press.l


Washington Dec. 23.-The Cabinet spent the
entire time Of the meeting to-day in discussing
the Venezuelan situation. Views for and
against the Presidents acceptance of the invita-
ton TO act as arbitrator were presented. Pend
ing the receipt of the invitation il is said that
the President declines to commit himself as TO
his course The meeting lasted more than two
hours. All the members were present except
Secretary Moody. who is out of the city. Secre-
tary Root was the first to arrive at the execu-
tive offices He entered the Presidents Office
shortly after 10 o'clock. The President denied
himself to all callers and remained in con-
suitation with the Secretary of War until the
arrival of the other members.
Secretary Hay brought 10 the meeting practi-
caIly nothing relating TO the situation No
response has been received to the Presidents
original suggestion to the powers that they
consent to the reference of the Venezuelan con-
troversy TO the arbitration of The Hague trib-
unal. and no formal request had been received
that the President act as arbitrator of the diff
iculty That such a request will be received
formally and officially is practically as
sured.
OPPOSE REFERENCE To HAGUE COURT.
It is known that the President and all the
members of the Cabinet at first preferred that
the whole vexatious question should be sub
mitted to The Hague tribunal Some members.
however. are now opposed TO referring the mat
ter to The Hague tribunal for these reasons:
In the first place. they have no desire to sub
nit the Monroe Doctrine TO the arbitrament OF
any non-American tribunal not even excepting
the august and eminently fair tribunal of The
Hague They prefer that if this doctrine is to
be the subject of arbtratiOn-if it is to be
brought in even NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. infiu-
ences shall pass on it. Not that the fairness OF
The Hague arbitratOrs is impeached. but as
most of them represent European and monarchi-
cal interests it is realized that their training
may be regarded as unsympathetic where they
are required to deal with such an essentially
American subject as the Monroe Doctrine. It Is
true that on it's face the arbitration proposal
contains nothing which indicates that this doc
trine is to be attacked. but so complex and
numerous are the questions which will come be-
fore the arbitrators that it is aPprehended here
from consideration.
officers in this inclination toward acceptance Of
the arbitration proposal by the President is their
conviction that an inordinate length of time
would be consumed if the issue is taken before
The Hague Tribunal The machinery they
think. is sufficient. but ponderous and difficult to
put in motion First, a basis of arbitration
must be arranged; the arbitratOTs must be
selected by the parties to the case. and these in
turn must choose an umpire or umpires. and
while this is going on the blockade would con-
tinue with it's ever present danger of active
hostiIities and bloodshed, which might renGer
nugatory all attempts at arbitration. On the
other hand. these Cabinet members think if the