Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-12-25
ROOSEVELT ASKED
TOAR b|TRATE
Reply of.Powers to Suggestion
That Trouble Be Referrd
to the Hague Tribunal.
A PECULIAR SITUATION
Were President to Act as Arbitrator His
Position Would he Delicase-Does Not
Want Job-He Might Accept II No Other
Way to Peace Could BE Found.

President Roosevelt has proposed
to the allied powers that the yene,
zuelan dispute be submitted to the
arbitration OF the Hague tribunal.
The powers have replied with a count
er proposition that President Roose.
welt himself arbitrate the issues.
These were the developments Sat.
urday in the Venezuelan matter, and
they seem to Justify the prediction
made in these dispatches that the
critical point has been passed. Presi.
dent Roosevelt does not wish to act as
arbitrator in the dispute, for as It is
felt here he would he at once Judge,
jury and constable and would be under
the moral obligation to execute his
own judgment. The president feels
that a reference to the Hague tribunal
would vastly strengthen the cause of
arbitration.
Still. rather than let the present
dispute proceed to extremes, II ia
probable that the president will reluc.
family assume the duties of Arbitrator
IL Is fully realized that any decision
rendered by him in that capacity
would be sure to bring him the emnity
OF one or the other of the parties TO
the controversy. and the fact was
pointed out to the president early in
the week by leading senator who
had been called into consultation.
Nevertheless, to prevent bloodshed
and the destruction of property and
interference with great commercial
interests that would result In loss IL
is believed that the president would
assume the charge. providing his own
view cannot prevail.
An important fact developed Satur.
day is that the punative measures
about to be instituted, and In fact
now In force in some degree will not
be suspended by the allies until a def
mite agreement is reached as to the ar.
bitration.
Venezuela also has been told
through Minister Bowen that the
president would welcome a reference
OF the dispute to the Hague tribunal.
While no direct reply has been receiy.
ed. 1t is not doubted that the reply
will be favorable IL the other parties
consented to such reference.
IL an agreement is reached on arbi
tration the procedure would be for
Minister Bowen. representing Vene.
zuela as plenipotentiary, to sign
with the representatives of the allies
protocol stating that the case Is to
be submitted to arbitration; that
Venezuela admits the right of diplo-
matte intervention In behalf of a
claimant. principle she has always
resisted and that the details of the
arbitration shall be arranged in a for.
NAL treaty which she pledges herself
TO sign. This treaty will provide in
the greatest detaii for the security of
foreign interests against vexations
and extortionate interference on the
part of the Venezuelan government
hereafter and will insure the admins.
tratlon of exact justice in the settle
ment of claims. and especially will II
relieve foreign residents OF Venezuela
from forced loans and persecution In
times of revolution
The status of the arbitration nego
tiations at the close OF the official day
as disclosed at the state department
was that the powers we're waiting for
an answer from the president to their
proposal that he himself undertake.
to arbitrate the Venezuelan difficulty.
The presidents answer can only be
guessed at. for the officials decline to
express any opinion of their own.
However. 1t is believed. to be a safe
prediction that he will repeat his sug.
gestion that the case be submitted to
The Hague tribunal. adding to the ar
gument he has already produced the
fact the United States having claims
Of Its own against Venezuela to the
amount Of 100000, It is q party in in.
terest, and 1t would be unfair to put
the president the position of having
to arbitrate his own claim. For their
part, the powers bring against The
Hague proposition the argument that
President Castro would feel lightly
bound by any decision by that tri.
bunal. but would be certain to heed
a judgment rendered by Presidents
Roosevelt.
1t is said at the state deartment
that no matter how these wo propo-
sitions are disposed OF, there will be
no backward step, and that an agree
ment of some kind which win bring
about peaceable settlement OF the
Venezuelan troubles will result from
the preJent negotiations.
or course, II u president should &C.
cept the charge. which he would
only do as a last resort. 1t is under.
stood that the actual burdensome
work OF arbitrating work Of arbitrat.
ing the claims would not be under.
taken by him personally, but prob
ably would be. as is customary in
such cases. confded to one of the
thoroughly efficient aud trained assist.
ant sepratariae of the danartmant