Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-18
Her Victory in the Samoan Case
Is Complete in Every
Particular.
EVERY DECISION IN HER FAVOR
Text of King Oscars Award is Pub
lished and Shows His Decisions are
More Sweeping Than at First Sup
posed-American British Action Held
to be Unwarranted.

Washington, Nov. 1S.-The officials
here did not fully realize the complete
ness of Germanys victory over the
United States and Great Britain in the
Samoan case until the full text OF the
decision of King Oscar II, of Sweden,
the arbitrator, was made public today.
On every single point the royal arhi-
traitor adopted the most extreme Ger
man view, in opposition to the United
States and England. The decision is
long and abounds in whereases and
conclusions. 1t was made public SIM
ultaneously in Washington, London and
Berlin, by previous arrangement be-
tween the principals in the controversy.
The arbitration grew out of claims
by Germans or British subjects or
American citizens, for compensation on
account of losses they alleged they had
suffered in consequence of unwarranted
military action on the part of German,
British or American officers in Samoa,
between Jan. /, 1899, and May 13 fol-
lowing. The question really at issue
was whether or not the British and
United States governments should be
considered responsible for the losses.
The arbitrator recites that the United
States steamship Philadelphia and the
British ships Porpoise and Royalist,
March Is, 1899, opened fire across the
town of Apia, Samoa, directing the
same against the forces of High Chief
Mataafa: that the same vessels brought
the newly appointed king of Samoa,
Malietoa, and his forces to Mulinuu
Point and supplied them arms and am
munition for the ensuing struggle
against Matsafa.
In answer to the British and Ameri-
can claims that under the treaty of
Berlin any one of the signatory powers
was fully authorized to enforce the de-
scision of the chief justice of Samoa,
declaring Malietoa king, the arbitrator
says:
1--WE have found nothing in the said
general act. or any subsequent agree
ment, which authorizes one of the
signatory powers, or a majority of
them, to take action to enforce the con-
ditions of the act, or to make the de-
cisions of the chief justice binding on
the powers
1t is held that the British American
military action had the character of
serious control over the Samoan islands
and the government thereof" which
was prohibited by article of the gem
eral act. The arbitrator insists that the
Berlin conference aimed to establish a
principle that, in their dealings with
Samoa, the powers could proceed only
by common accord, and that as the
consular representatives of the three
powers by proclamation had recognized
the provisional government of Mataafa,
the powers themselves We're bound on
principles of international good faith
to maintain the situation until by COM
mon accord, they decided to change 1t.
The action of the British American au-
thorities, tending to overthrow the
provisional government thereby estab-
lished," it is held, was contrary to the
aforesaid obligation and can not be JUS
titled. either on the plea of the valid
ity alb initio of the said provision of the
government, or its establishment under
a species of force majeure."
Touching the British-American COM
plant against the German consul for
his refusal to sustain the decision of the
chief justice, the arbitrator holds that
it can not be considered to have been
the duty of the German consul to take
part in the issuance of said proclama-
ton, and it has not been proved that,
with regard to said decision, any steps
We're taken by him contrary to the gem
eral act, and, therefore, no responsible
ity attaches for the attitude taken by
him in this reSpect"