The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-23
EUROPE Is ANXIOUS
Powers Waiting 10 Hear Whether the
President viii Act as Arbiter
R00SEVELTlS RELUCTANT
viii Accept The Invitation, However,
Ii The Allies Iasist.
THE BEST OF A BAD BARGAIN.
Many of His Advisers Urge Him 10 Take
No Part in II,
----- -1r--
ALLIES MERELY TAKING SOUNDlNGS."
The Chief Executive Contends That TIE
Hague Tribunal Should Arbitrate
the Questions at Issue,
win Accept The Invitation, However,
Ii The Allies Iasist.
THE BEST OF A BAD BARGAIN.
Many of His Advisers Urge Him TO Take
No Part in II,
ALLIES MERELY TAKING SOUNDlNGS."
The Chief Executive Contends That Tic
Hague Tribunal Should Arhitrate
the Questions at Issue.

ra
Especial to The postl
Washington. Dcccmb,r - The powers
are waiting to know whether President
Roosevelt will act MS arbitrator Ia the vcue.
zuelan mhrogio aud President Roosevelt
is waiting to see how badly tho powers
want him before giving final decision ia
the matter, This seems 20 bc the Washing
ton situation tonight. There has been ,o
official statement from the powers. hut
from diplomatic sources It Is lcsru,d tuut
they are waiting to see II the president viii
act, 1t is said that every ono Of the couu-
tries concerned. including Venezuela, Is "a
yorably inclined toward the suggestion. The
objection Of the Interested parties to The
Hague court is said to he based ON the
claim that that tribunal is rather au in.
definite quantity and that a case submitted
To 1t might occupy mouths. or even longer.
The Post correspondent is In position
10 state that the president viii act as ar
bitrator II sufficiently urged, His position
Is that II the matter Is brought to q p.int
where the only alternative win be war or
the settlement ~ tho mlttcr through him,
he will accept the responsibility.
AS has heretofore bceu stated iu these
dispatches, however, careful students OF tbc
situation express the opinion that this point
win never be reached, These people,
among whom are at least two or tlrcc
members OF the cabinet aud number NJ
the presidents close advisers, are Of the
opinion that 1t win be hest for him to take
no part In the matter.
The Hague court is thc place for the set.
tlemcnt Of the difficulty they say. or, II it
s not. the president should certainly not
allow himself to be drawn into mutter
which does not concern the United States
except in SO far as the Monroe doctrine IS
affected
This view lis shared Icy many newspapers
which are friendly 10 the Hdministr ton.
Among these is the Washington Post, which
In leading editorial. entitled Ike out
OF tho Trap, today urges them to refrain
from mcdd.ing in the Venezuelan matter.
President Roosevelt has not accepted the
position Of arbitrator Of the Venezuelan
controversy In fact, when the official day
closed he had not received. formally or on
cialiy, any request from the European pow
crs that he act as arbitrator. These state
mcnts are made on the highest authority.
Ina an Informal manner the president has (
been notified that the European powers con.
ccrned desire that he should undertake the
responsibility Of acting rs arbitrator ~ the {
points at issue between them and Ncne- |
zuela, Tins far. thry merely have been |
taking "soundngs." with view, probably, |
OF ascertaining how he would receive a
formal proposition to act as arbitrator The |
president as soon as he received the st
intimation that he was desired to De arDi
traitor Of the Venezuelan controversy. cN
pressed emphatlcaliy his judgment that the
matters to be arhitra,ed should be referred
10 The Hague tribunal His view of the
suggestions made has been conveyed to the
European powers. together with stronr
presentation of his reasons for The view he
holds No response ~ formal nature TO
these representations has been received
The president aud Secretary Hay had 4
long conference todpy after the formers
return from his virgini1 trip. They care
fully went over the situation ms n had do
vclopcd since saturday, but it is understood
that nothing has arisen during the past
forty eight hours 10 warrant the president
IN changing his opinion as to The undcslga.
bility Of his acceptance Of the position Of
arbitrator
SO FAR as can be learned no specific rca
SONS have been advanced by the Europ On
powers for objection to reference ~ the
questions to tho arbitration ~ The Hague
tribunal II Is held nv the administration |
that the tribunal 81 Tho Hague was con
stltutcd to arhitratc lust such controversies !
as that which has arisen between Neue- |
zucla and the powers, and that II would be- |
desirable from every viewpoint that the |
present dispute should go TO that tribunal |
for adjudication.
How strong tho objections which Crest |
Britain, Germany and Italy have = ref !
erence to The Hague tribunal IS not known /
20 the administration at this time. The !
negotiations looking to the selection Of an /
arbitrator have not progressed sufficiently |
yet 70 develop such objections ne the pow |
ers may hsve
The acceptance by the powers ~ thc rrip
cipe OF arbitration as applied to the Nouc
zuclan question Ia q matter ~ great graft |
fcotlon 10 the president and his cabinet
That all the powers have intimat d, o. !
that they would prefer the president should |
srbitratc tine present dispute is taken as
notable compliment 70 the president, per
sonally. aud 10 HIS administration. II is
the hope Of both the president and his adj
visers, however, that while there is prece
dent for his acceptance OF the past OF arbl-
traitor, the powers viii consent TO refer
encc of the controverted matters in the
Venezuelan question 10 the tribunal at The
Hague
signs point e the presidents ultimate &C
esptsues Of the trust, thcush nothing peal