The daily Republican., 1902-12-23
ROOSEVELT HAS
NOT ACCEPTED
Offer to Arbitrate Between the
Allied Powers and
Venezuela,
IS NOT INCLINED TO ACT.
General Opinion at Washing
ton Is That Venezuelan
Difficulty Should Go
to Hague Tribunal.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-President
Roosevelt has not accepted the position
Of arbitrator of the Venezuelan contro-
versy. In fact at latest reports he had
not received, formally or officially, a re-
quest from the European powers that
he act as arbitrator of the dispute.
These statements are made on the high
est authority.
In an informal manner the president
has been notified that the European
powers intimately concerned in the
present South American difficulty de-
sire that he should undertake the re-
sponsibility of acting as arbitrator of
the points at issue between them and
Venezuela. Thus far they merely have
been taking ''soundings' with view
probably of ascertaining how he would
receive formal prOffer to act as arbi-
traitor. The president so soon as he re-
ceived the first intimation that he was
desired as arbitrator of the Venezuelan
controversy expressed emphatically his
judgment that the matters to be arbi-
trated should be referred to The Hague
tribunal. His view of the suggestions
made has been conveyed to the Euro
pean powers, together with a strong
presentation Of his reasons for the view
he holds. No response of formal ma
ture to these representations has been .
received.
The president and Secretary Hay had
long conference after the formers
return from his Virginia trip. They
carefully went over the situation rs 1t
had developed since Saturday, but it is
understood that nothing has arisen to
warrant the president in changing his
opinion as to the undesirability of his
acceptance of the position of arbitrator.
So far as can be learned no specific rea-
sons have been advanced by the Euro
pean powers for objectng to refer
ence of the NenezQean questions to the
arbitration Of The Hague tribunal. 1t
is held by the administration that the
tribunal ut The Hague was constituted
to arbitrate just such controversies as
that which has arisen between Nene-
zuea and the powers and that it would
be desirable from every viewpoint that
the present dispute should go to that
tribunal for adjudication. How strong
the objections which Great Britain,
Germany and Italy have to Il reference
of the Venezuelan difficulty TO The
Hague tribunal is not known to the ad-
mnistration at this time Even the ma
ture of the objections, if any there be,
is not known. The negotiations looking
TO the selection Of an arbitrator have
not progressed sufficiently yet to devel-
0p such objections as the powers may
have.
The acceptance by the powers of the
principle Of arbitration as applied to
the Venezuelan question is matter of |
great qualification to the president and
his cabinet That all the powers have
intimated, too, that they would prefer !
the president should arbitrate the pres
cnt dispute is taken as a notable COM
plimcnt to the president personally and
to his administration. 1t Is the hope Of
both the president and his advisers,
however, that while there is precedent
for his acceptance of the post of arb-
TRAITOR, the powers will consent to a ref
crence of the controverted matters in
the Venezuelan question to the tribunal |
at Tine Hague.