Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-29
Interest in Preliminary Arbi-
tration Proceedings.
HOW TOCOLLECT AWARD
TWO SENATORS GIVE THEIR
VIEWS ON THE MATTER.
Interesting Gossip as to What the
President Would Have Done HAD
He Been Arbitrator.

Tn congressional circles interest Is telt
In the preliminary proceedings OF the aioi
tration of the Venezuela diff1cuny oelo'e
The Hague tribunal. Members OF inc
House and Senate committee on foreish ie-
lations are following attentively the succes
siye steps and looking ahead TO estiihd'e'
AZ possible the effect Of future movements.
The main question of discussion among
tham is How is the award of the tripunal
&o he colrected?" Assuming that an award
will be made against Venezuela ana that II
will be a sum in excess of her ability 10
discharge it out of hand, the question
arises what means will the allies adopt 10
compel payment of the dollars
The interest of the United States in that
feature of the case is two foid; nrst' pc
cause this government wants TO see tne
vanczueIan government relieved from us
obligation and freed from menace any,
second because this government cannot al
low the means of settlement 10 proceed u
the point of occupation or territory.
Two Statesmen's Views.
The nroposition was put by Star re-
norter TO two statesmen today, Senator
Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts ana
Senator Cuilom of Illinois, the latter pelhs
chairman of the foreign relations commit
toe and the former a close adviser of the
President. The replies or the two states
men were characteristic and interesting resi- e.,
The question is Hypothetical, saio sen
ator Lodge. lin the first place IL assumes
that an award is to be made against ven
ezuela and of that we have no assurance.
In the second place 1t assumes tnai IL an
award were made Venezuela couiu ho'
meet it: of that we have no assurance.
1--WE will. cross all those bridges as we
come to them The problem Will work out
all right in the end
IN hn
resemblance to another 1lljnolsian now
gone. has a good many of the plain prac
teal traits of that statesman came out pat
with Lincolnesque reply
eft docs not matter he said, now, or
when or in what way the award is made
The patent fact stands at the end OF All
negotiations that the allies Will not selIe
airy territory in Venezuela. Inat an there
Is to II. They are not going to DO IL. unuer
cover Of any kind of award by any kind OF
a acknowledgements we will not permit them
to do it
Monroe Doctrine Safe.
That is about the sentiment of the rank
and file in Congress. They have more or
less misty idea Of The Hague tribunal and
q suspicion of European diplomacy In gen
eral. but they are resting confident In the
assurance that II the question comes 10
issue the Monroe doctrine will not be In
fringed upon. because the United states VIII
not permit, being not only able 10 ngnt LOT
IT. but most jOyOuSly Wiling 10 HSHt LUZ IL
Whenever necessary.
In fact. the expression Is often hearo
about the Capitol, when statesmen are DIS
GUESSING the subject. that we Will nave TO
fight for it sooner or later, and as long as
At Is bound to come the quicker we get In
and clean up the job the better That, OF
course, represents the extreme view OF the
case, and the more conservative men III
Congress do not believe that this govern
ment will have to fight for it. as Europe has
practically yielded acquiescence in the doc
triue already.
Gossip as to President.
Some interesting gossip going the
rounds today about the arbitration case. 1t
was said that President Roosevelt is per-
sonally disappointed that he could not have
the arbitration in his own hands. He is
said to have so expressed himself vigor-
ously within a day or two. The President,
Il is said. wanted to emphasize the position
of this government that the Central and
South American republics cannot shield
themselves behind this government to re-
pudiate their debts. He thought he could
do that in a manner so marked that ii
would serve as an example for long time
TO come, and keep the little republics from
repeatedly threatening 10 get Uncle Sam
into hot water.
An interesting bit of gossip in that con-
nection which was heard today was that
the diplomatic representatives of other
Latin-American countries were very anx-
ious to find out how the United States was
likely to act in the Venezuelan case. Claims
in Europe are held against other republics.
They could not get much satisfaction out
OF the customary diplomatic inquiries, and,
So the story goes, called In body upon
well-known man who has the Presidents
ear and can talk with him freely. They
asked this gentleman to sound the Presi-
dent and ascertain his mind.
A Complete Answer.
The President smiled grimly. 1t is said.
and then swapping the words out between
his teeth, suggested that complete answer
could be found TO the question by careful
perusal OF his messages TO Congress upon
the subject. and by reading between the
lines of the messages for the deepest sig
niiicance. The passages referred to dis
tinctly warn the Latin-American nations
that while the United States will forever
protect them from foreign territorial ag
gression on the part of foreign nations, they
cannot use that protection to aid in repu-
dating just debts