New-York tribune., 1902-12-21
TO 4NSUER ON MONDAY.
President Greatly Prefers Reference
to THE Hague Court.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE-l ]

nv
Washington. Dec 20--President Roosevelt mas
been asked to arbitrate the questions IN con-
troversy between Venezuela and the European
nations which are pressing for the payment OF
the claims of their citizens. This request was
made by Great Britain and Germany to-day IN
response to the proposal made by the PRESIDENT
that the controversy be referred to the inter
national tribunal established by the treaty Oh
The Hague. The President has not yet mace
a formal reply to this request and none VIII De
made before Monday In the mean time an un-
derstanding may be reached by which the par
ties to the controversy will agree to refer 1t to
The Hague tribunal. If this can be done the
President will be greatly pleased. and Great
Britain and Germany have been unoff1cfally ac-
Quainted with this fact. If. however. there Is
any obstacle in the way Of a reference to Inc
Hague tribunal. the President will consent to
act as arbitrator.
WHY HAGUE, COURT IS PREFERRED.
There are several reasons why the PRESIDENT
would prefer TO have the matter adJud1cated oy
The Hague court rather than by h1msel1 Ohe
of these is that whatever the decision may be-
it will be certain give dissatisfaction to some
one and it is believed to be better for all con-
cerned that II should be rendered by great
ternational tribunal rather than by the head
of a single nation. A subordinate reason Is that
there are citizens of the United States VINO nave
claims against Venezuela, and If the matter
should be referred to The Hague tribunal 1t
would probably he possible to have these IN
Guided with the European claims. and have tnen
all settled at 1t would manifestly be en-
barrassfng to attempt tc have American CLAIMS
brought in if the President Of the United States
should be placed in the position of acting as the
sole Judge From the beginning of the contro-
versy the government of the United States has
Iabored consistently for solution by which the
final adjudication would be made by Inc hasue
tribunal believing this to be one OF the classes
of international disputes the tribunal was or
sanized to pass upon, and that its reference 10
that court would establish an important prece-
dent and be long step in the direction of sub
stitutfng arbitration by an impartial 1nterha-
tionaI court for resorts to arms
The President fully appreciated the high COM
pliment which has been paid to him by the
governments of Great Britain and Germany in
Offering TO place the settlement Of their con-
troversy wholly in his hands. This compliment
is the greater inasmuch as the United States
has acted throughout as the next friend OF
Venezuela and has urged on the European gov
ernments the acceptance of President Castros
proposition to resort to arbitration. He be-
lieves nevertheless, that advantage should be
taken of The Hague court. with its machinery
SSNNiN--'~''~
controversies.
POSSIBLE PLAN OF PROCEDURE.
1t is possible if it should be insisted that the
President should act as sole arbitrator, that he
might avail himself of the assistance of mem
bers of The Hague tribunal 1t is never to be
expected that the head of nation. when select
cd to act arbitrator shall give his per-
sonal attention to all the details of the con-
III in ia
that the head of the nation selects person or
persons in whom he has confidence to review
the case and make report to him. He then
goes over the papers and makes his final award.
which usually conforms 10 the report made by
his advisers. There would be nothing to pre-
vent President Roosevelt If he should become
arbitrator from selecting some of the eminent
jurists who members of The Hague tribunal
TO act as his advisers. In this way he would
add to his own authority as arbitrator that of
The Hague tribunal. and would make it more
difficult for any interested nation to criticise
the award after it had been made.
If the controversy should be referred to The
Hague Tribunal direct. the members of the
tribunal which will pass upon it will be chosen
in accordance with the rules laid down by The
Hague treaty. Under these rules the court
would be composed of two arbitrators chosen by
Venezuela by the United States acting in
behalf of that nation, and two would be selected
by the powers the opposite side of the con-
troversy These arbtrators would then select
fifth Venezuela would thus have much
voice in the selection of the members of the
tribunal as would all the nations on the other
side combined. The court would sit at The
Hague unless some other place should be agreed |
upon and all the rules established by The
Hague treaty as to the presentation of the case
and the methods of procedure and the an
nouncement of the award would prevail
Officials of the administration do not expect |
anv friction to arise over the enforcement of
the blockade of Venezuelan ports. which was |
proclaimed to begin to-day.
The idea of a pacific blockade has been aband- |
oned as a result of the intimations conveyed by |
the state Department TO Great Britain and Ger |
manv that the United States would not look !
with favor on attempt to establish such a |
blockade The provision for days of grace for |
vessels at sea at the time of the proclamation |
of the blockade is unusually liberal and will |
give ample time for all vessels which have sailed
from ports of the United States for Venezuelan |
ports to reach their destination.