The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-12
THEY DON'T THINK IT
A STATE OF WAR.
How Washington Diplomats Regard
the Venezuelan ImbroxIiO.


Washington, Dec. 11.-Minister
Bowen, at Caracas, in a cablegram to
the State Department, dated to-day,
confirms the press reports that all the
German and British prisoners have
been released.
This was the only advice that came
to the State Department as to the sit
uation in Venezuela, but it was well
come, for the officials felt that by re-
leasing these civilians, President Cas-
dangerous factor in the problem. Had
he insisted on retaining them in Jail,
the allies must have dispatched force
to the capital of Venezuela, and war
outright would have ensued. AS it is,
the officials here prefer to regard the
status as not one of war, provided the
allies adhere to their original pro-
gramme of "a peaceful blockade" per-
haps followed by the temporary seiz-
ure of Venezuelan custom houses.
Details of the sinking of the Vene-
zuelan navy by the allied naval forces
are awaited with interest here, and the
officials could not but express their re-
CERT and surprise that it had been
found necessary to proceed to such ex-
tremes.
Nothing has yet occurred to induce
the State Department to change the
policy of non-interference which it has
adopted. The President is showing par
ticular interest in the situation and
called Secretary Hay from. his regular
Thursday diplomatic reception to con-
fer respecting Venezuela. The chair
men of the two congressional commit
tees charged with the care of foreign
affairs also called at the State Depart
ment during the forenoon to talk over
the Venezuelan developments.
Senator Cullom, chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Relations, ex-
pressed regret that England and Ger
many had destroyed, by breaking UP
or sinking, the vessels of the Venezue-
Ian war fleet.
There have been no orders issued to
any of our naval vessels to go to Ven
ezuelan ports, and it is not intended to
issue such orders unless an emergency
should arise, as the presence of foreign
men-ofwar in such cases as this is apt
to cause useless friction. There is, OF
course, always danger that the attempt
of an American vessel to pass the
peaceful blockade" may in the end
call tor the appearance of American
men-Of-War upon the scene,
1t is an interesting fact that up to
this point the State Department has
not undertaken to recognize the limita-
tons that might be placed upon Amer
lean commerce in case of a Venezuelan
blockade. The German government, il
is true. no later than last year, sought
to secure an understanding on this
point, but the State Department SIM
ply recorded the views of that govern
ment without either accepting or re-
jecting them, so that its hands are free
The matter came up in December, 1901
when Germany was considering coer-
Give measures against Venezuela, and
addressed the following promemoria to
the State Department:
Imperial German Embassy, Wash
ington, Dec. 20, 1901.
"In case the German government
should be obliged to use coercion
against Venezuela in connection with
the pending claims, it will have to be
considered what kind of measures
should be applied.
1.-THE most important measures of
coercion-that is, the blockade of the
Venezuelan harbors-would have to be
carried through without a declaration
of war preceding it. The blockade
would, therefore, be a peace blockade
Such blockade would touch likewise,
the ships of neutral Powers, inasmuch
as such ships, although a confiscation
of them would have not be considered,
would have to be turned away and
prohibited until the blockade should
be raised. In the same manner, Euro
pean states have proceeded on such &C.
casions, especially England and
France"