Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-23
The Presidents Attitude To-
ward the Allies Invitation.
ENERGETIC PROTESTS
STRONG PRESSURE TO DECLINE
BEING BROUGHT TO BEAR.
Reasons Why He Would Yield-Mon-
roe Doctrine Possibly Involved
Effect of the Calvo Doctrine.

Effect of the Calvo Doctrine.
The formal proposals of Great Britain
and Germany that President Roosevelt ar
bitrate the Venezuelan dispute did not ar
rive over night, nor were they In hand
when the cabinet met today, but from what
Is known of the causes Of the delay in the
transmission of the proposals, causes re-
Ia ting entirely to the extent of the arbitra-
ton and the limitations to be placed upon
1t, 1t is expected that they will reach Wash
ington within a day or two.
Strong pressure is being brought to bear
upon the President to decline the invitation
to act as arbitrato or. This pressure comes
from certain newspapers, from public men
throughout the country and from senators
and representatives in Washington. sena-
tor Cullom, chairman of the Senate COM
mittee on foreign relations. called at the
State Department today with bundle of
kilograms. all energetic protests against the
embarkation Of the President upon this ar
bitration scheme and all from prominent
men in Illinois.
Why the President Might Accept.
But IL he continues In his present frame OF
mind the President will accept, and for so
doing he thinks he has the very best OF
reasons First: He has no 6es'- to submit
the Monroe doctrine to the a:a,trament Of
any non-American tribunal. not even ex-
cepting the august and eminently fair tri-
bunal of The Hague. He very much pre-
fers that If that doctrine is to be the subject
of arbitration, II it Is to be even brought
in incidentally, that American influences
shall pass upon 1t. Not that the fairness Of
The Hague arbitrators is impeached, but as
most of them represent European and mon
arnh tnra OF "a raal hot hpt
training may be regarded as narrow where
they are required to deal with such an es
sentially American subject as the Monroe
doctrine. 1t is true that on its face the
arbitration proposal contains nothing that
indicates that this doctrine is to be at
tackled but 1t Is felt that from the very ma
ture OF the case there would be danger that
the doctrine might be brought under con-
sideration.
Would Save Delay.
Another reason that animates the Presi-
dent in his inclination toward acceptance Is
HIS conviction that an inordinate length of
time would be consumed in getting the
Venezuelan issue before The Hague tri-
bunaI The machinery is sufficient. but
ponderous and difficult to put in motion.
First there must be arranged a basis of
arbitration; then arbitrators must be select
ed by the parties to the case, and these in
turn must choose umpire umpires,
and while all this is going on the blockade
will continue with It's ever present danger
of active hoStilities and bloodshed that
would render nugatory all attempts at
arbitration. On the other hand, If the
President undertakes the arbitration he can
get rid Of all that red tape and start the
work of arbitration within a few days.
A Board to Take Evidence.
AS The Star said yesterday, It is under
stood that his plan contemplates the ap-
pointment of a board OF arbitrators. He
will not confide this important undertaking
to any one man, nor does he feel able to
himself spare the vast amount of time nee
essary for an examination In detail of each
Of the many claims that will be presented
against Venezuela. Necessarily, the Presi-
dents arbitration board will include some
members of a high order of legal talent, a s
we'll as others thoroughly versed in the
practice of international law.
The necessity for the latter is apparent
when it is stated that the crucial point to
come before the arbitration is the famous
"CalVo doctrine" That doctrine. laid down
by the greatest of Iatin-American interna-
tional lawyers, and for very many years
regarded beyond question by all of the
Latin-American republics. denies the right
OF any nation to intervene Automatically in
behalf of one of its subjects where the
courts of the country are open to his appli-
cation for justice. Thus Venezuela has as
serted that all of these claimants, British,
German. Italian, French, might have gone
before the Venezuelan courts, and if their
causes We're just and If their judgments
were just. the government would have paid
the judgments. The objection to that view
Is that no account is taken Of miscarriages
OF Justice of corrupt courts and of racial
antipathies which sometimes result in q
denial of justice 10 foreigners"
Adherence to the "Calvo Doctrine
But so determined are the South Amer
lean countries to adhere to that doctrine
that some of them have gone to extraordi-
nary lengths in their resistance of the dip
lonatic efforts of foreign governments to
secure justice for their subjects. A notable
case is that of Salvador Recently United
States corporation obtained, after arbitra-
tion judgment against the government of
salvador. The verdict was received with
intense indignation in Salvador. and so in
tense was the anti-foreign feeling excited
that law was passed making 1t a criminal
offense, and one to be heavily punished for
any Salvadorian to give any evidence what
ever before any court IN behalf Of a for
eigner who claimed damages against the
Salvadorian government.
1t is that doctrine after all which will be
on trial before the arbitration. and because
OF Its vast Importance, If President Roose-
welt appoints a board. it will be composed
OF men OF the highest caliber
Discussed by the Cabinet.
siton that the President arbitrate the Diff
ferences were discussed freely and fully by
the President and cabinet today the ses-
sion lasting nearly two and a half hours
The President unreservedly gave to the
cabinet his views for and against accept
ance OF the proposals. and his advisers pre-
sented their views on the same lines The
conclusion II one was reached, was not
made public. all of the cabinet officers
stating that Secretary Hay would make
public whatever there was to be said on
the subject.
A divergence of opinion has arisen in the
cabinet as to the desirability of the Presi-
dents acceptance Of the post OF arbitrator,
even II IL should be insisted on by the
powers. The fear is expressed that some
embarrassing contingency may arise In the
course OF the arbitration that. In the end,
might seriously involve the United States
Personal Menfion