Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-27
VENEZUELA DEFENDED
NO INTENTION TO REPUDIATE
JUST DEBTS.
Statement by Mr.. Pulido, Charge
d'Affaires Of the Legation Here
Courts to Determine Cases.

Augusta F. Puldo, charge d'affaires OF
| the Venezuelan legation here. has made the
! following statement:
at seems to me that there is a general
misunderstanding about the relations Of the
| unjust aggression against my country head
| ed by Germany and Great Britain. In realf-
ty Venezuela has never repudiated her OBJ
| legations to foreign creditors nor ignored
the claims Of foreign powers on behalf of
their subjects for alleged damages suffered
by them under the necessary hardships
which accompany state of internal war.
'In the memorandum circulated by the
minister Of foreign relations to the friendly
| nations. under date Of August II last the
position of Venezuela was clearly set forth.
We have a judicial power to which must
be referred all the claims Of native citi-
zens, we'll as foreign subjects settled in
Venezuela, before appealing to diplomatic
recourse.
Allies Ignore the Law.
Germany and Great Britain absolutely
disregard this provision of our internal leg
islation and they contend that the govern
ment should accept their claims at once,
without having applied first to the courts
of the country to redress their alleged
grievances The contention that the tribu-
nails of Venezuela do not offer sufficient
guaranty Of impart;ality is absolutely with
out foundation. Many German subjects, by
following the regular course of proceeding.
and submitting themselves to our laws,
have obtained several awards and our
government has paid them their just claims
or recognized them. l may quote. for in
stance, the names Of Messrs. Steinworth Il
Co.. Brewer Moler & Co., Van Dissel & Co.
of San Cristobal: A. Ermen 6. Co. of Puerto
Cabello; Beckmann & Co., Becker, Brun Il
Co, M Frey, r. & o. holster, Lesseur,
Romer Baasch and Marcus & Co.
Expense Of SURPRISING Revolt.
Besides this aspect Of the question,
there is against Venezuela the pretension
Of the foreign powers to compel the pay
ment of debts Of public character such as
those resulting from foreign loans and
guarantees of railroad interest. In refer
ence to this 1 must emphatically declare
that my government has never intended the
reputation Of these obligations. which my
country would have had enough resources
to meet if the last unfortunate disturb
ances had not obliged the government to
apply all the revenues Of the state to the
establishment of public peace. AS soon
Venezuela will gladly meet her obligations
with a just regard to all the parties con-
cerned.
Doctrine Held by Venezuela.
''1n fact. Venezuela stands only by the
doctrine accepted and recommended by the
delegates of the second Pan-American con-
ference in the City Of Mexico, in accord
ance with which: Whenever an alien shall
have claims or complaints of civil. GRIM
inal or administrative nature against a
state or it's citizens. he shall present his
claims to the competent court of the coun-
try, and such claims shall not be made
through the diplomatic channels, except in
the case where there shall have been, on
the part of the court. a manifest denial Of
justice. or unusual delay, or evident viola
ton of the principles Of international law
This doctrine has always been accepted
under the law of nations as we'll as that
which does not allow a foreign power to
compel by force of arms the payment of
debts of a public character Allow me. to,
reproduce the words of Mr. Clay SecreE
.tary OF State. in a communica ton to Mr..
Mareuil. dated March %, 1927: The gen
era1 rule is that foreigners are bound to
apply to the tribunals of Justice If they
are open, for redress of any grievance be-
fore they appeal for it to the government
of those tribunals. g,
Reply to Ultimatum. ia
Permit me also to quote the declaration
made by the minister of foreign relations
of Venezuela in his reply to the ultinatum
of Germany, under date of. December 8, as
follows: If the claims referred to are just
the federal executive declares beforehand
that those claims will be considered and
decided in a fair way, and the commits
sion to which by our laws they must be
submitted is already sitting. the procedure