Evening star., 1902-02-11
WHAT PAUNCEFOTE DID
Transmitted Proposition Of
Austrian Minister.
DID NOT ORIGINATE IT
ATTITUDE OF POWERS TOWARD
US IN 1898.
Controversy as to What Nation Pre-
vented the Formation of an
European Coalition.
DID NOT ORIGINATE IT

III view OF the IOod OF statements ana
contradictions more or less official in char
acter, coming from the principal European
capitals respecting the attitude of the pow
ers individually towards the United States
just preceding the Spanish war, the Off
cials here feel a natural reluctance to being
drawn into the controversy, and 1t is with
difficulty that even unofficial statements
can be had on this subject.
But from these the conclusion is drawn
that many of the European statements
are based upon unconscious misunder-
standing of what actually took place In
Washington just before the outbreak OF
the war. for it was in Washington that the
exchanges took place which formed the
basis of these various and conflicting state
ments.
One fact remains uncontroverted and un-
challenged, namely, that the European am
bassadors and ministers here called upon
President Mckinley April l. 1898, in the
effort to prevent war.
Lord Pauncefote had previously advised
President Mckinley of the approaching
call and it's purpose and the President was
therefore able to prepare himself fully
with the splendid reply to the diplomats
which unquestionaby defeated all further
attempts to intervene as between the Unit
ed States and Spain.
The Controversy.
The matter in controversy. is what hap
pened after that cali and the question at
issue is as presented in the latest phrase
in the European dispatches-did Lord
Pauncefote undertake to secure the support
of the other European powers in an at
tempt at forcible restraint upon the United
States Sitting all the facts, the conclusion
cached here is that Lord PaunCefotes ac-
tivties in the direction of Intervention
have been generally misunderstood. 1t is
known that the Austrian minister here was
untiring in his efforts in behalf of Spain.
Even the United States government has
never cherished the least ill feeling on that
score, realizing that the blood ties between
the Austrian and Spanish reigniNg houses
sufficiently excused such an attitude
Austrian Minister'S Proposition.
In the course of these efforts Mr.. Hengel-
muller naturally turned to Lord Paunce-
fote, as dean Of ,he corps, and sought TO
have him, as such dean, see what measure
of support could be secured for another
and more forcible representation to the
United States as to The undesirability of
war Lord Pauncefote was confident that
no such proposition would carry, but he
yielded SO far to the application Of the
Austrian minister as to submit MS prop
| osition to the other representatives OF the
European powers. The result exactly JUS
titled Lord Pauncefote's own judgment of
the outcome, but it probably the in
quiries he made in this proceeding, and not
any proposition originating with himself,
that led to reports from the ministers and
ambassadors here to the European chan
cellOrieS which naturally came into conflict
owing to varying understandings of Lord
Pauncefote's purpose.
The Ambassador Silent.
When inquiry was made at the British
embassy today relative to the recent dis
patches purporting to give the action of
Lord Pauncefote just prior to the outbreak
Of the Spanish war the ambassador sent
word that there was absolutely nothing to
be said by him for publication. 1t is under
stood that if there is any occasion for Lord
PauncefOte's taking cogniZance of the con-
troversy he will communicate directly with
the London foreign Office, which will de-
termine upon any public utteranceS to be
made. Moreover, there is reason to believe
that the foreign office is already in pos
session of all the papers bearing on the In
terchange on the Spanish war, and that
nothing which could now be submitted
would alter the situa ton as heretofore laid
before the British authorities
Statement of Lord Cranbo1ne.
LONDON, February 1.-THE under secre-
tary for the foreign Office, Lord Cranborne,
replying in the house Of commons today to
a question Of Henry Norman GiberaD, who
asked whether the governments attention
had been called to the statement in the
German press, anu alieSeO TO nave received
official confirmation at Berlin to the effect
that Great Britain, April IA, 1898, through
her ambassador at Washington, Lord
Pauncefote, proposed a fresh note in which
the powers should declare that Europe did
not regard the armed Intervention Of the
United States in Cuba as justifiable, and
that in consequence of Germany's refusal
to accept this proposal the step was aban-
doned, said:
mo, sir. Her late majesty's government
never proposed through her majesty's am
bassador or otherwise, any declaration ad-
verse to the action of the United States in
Cuba. On the contrary, her late majesty's
government declined to assent to any such
proposal
Lord Cranborne's answer to Mr.. Norman
was received with a round Of applause.
Mr.. Norman later said to representative
of the Associated Press: II am perfectly
satisfied and, Of course, implicitly believe
the statement OF the British minister's
John Redmond, the Irish leader COM
mented on Lord Cranbornes statement as
follows:
"The feeling which existed In America
that England did SO much for the United
States at the time of the war is all hum
bug. To my personal knowledge the ma
jorty Of the members of the house Of COM
mons were strongly anti-American in those
days. 1 have no doubt Germany has evil
dence to prove her assertions"