The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-20
ARE READY TO ARBITRATE
Want United States to Guar antee Payment of Claims
Tbis the Washington Government is Determined Not to Do-Dewey's Vessels Guard Every Naval
 Base in West Indies.

III, has received partial responses from the governments of Great Britain, Germany and Italy respecting the proposal to ar bitrate the Venezuelan difficulties
 Great Britain is favorable to arbNra- ton with proper safeguards.
 Germany accepts arbitration in princi- pie, but finds multitude of small ad- justments to be made before entering into the agreement.
 Italy, as the junior partner of the allies, declares that she Is favorable to arbitra- ton, but will be bound probably by the action of the senior partners.
 The note to Reuters Telegraph Com pany, announcing that Great Britain had sent a reply to the United States, is as follows:
 Will Deal With America.
 ''The statements issuing from Caracas to the effect that President Castro has empowered Minister Bowen to act as the representative of Venezuela are regarded in London as open to question. Any such action on the part of President Castro would be considered wholly beside the mark. The powers concerned will deal solely with the United States in the mat ter of arbitration. The government of Venezuela will not be consulted in any form, not even as to the terms on which arbitration might be acceptable to the powers"
 To secure these results the American Ambassadors at London. Berlin and Rome have been working energetically to carry out the instructions of Secretary Hay to ascertain how the proposal would be re- ceiyed.
 As far as England is concerned, the safeguards referred to are believed tore late to the, question of guarantee. which is full of difficulties. In this connection, as indicated in these dispatches yester- day, some consideration is again given to the feasibility of assumption of respon- sjbility for any award assessed against Venezuela by responsible private agen- cies; but the United States government is determined not to allow itself to he drawn into the position of a guarantor in this case. for the precedent, once sstab- lished, might require the United States to become the financial packer of all South and Central America. However, If private concerns can be induced to enter the field, the United States will do what It can to reduce their risks. Secretary Hay, Sir Michael Herbert, the British Ambassador, and Senator Depew were in conference today and 1t Is suspected that this phase of the case was touched upon. although no information can be had at this time.
 Knotty German Problem,
 The German position presents the great est differences. for not only does 1t in- volve demand for apologies. which are extremely repugnant to Venezuela, but also presents so many points requiring adjustment that 1t is evident that many days. or perhaps weeks, must elapse be- fore the adjustment can be affected and the case, prepared for arbitration. And the danger of delay In the face of a blockade. which seriously cripples neutral commerce. and invites hostile collisions with the Venezuelans. cannot be overes-' timated
 The efforts of the United States there fore, must be directed toward hastening Germany's action on the arbitration pro- posal.
 The Italian position is. of course. of less concern than that of the other allies. The Italian ambassador here. in his inter course with the State Department. has been extremely moderate and considerate, giving Secretary Hay the impression that he is well disposed to second any effort of the United States to terminate the present dangerous situation.
 The French government has served mo- tice that without abating her claims the
  she also claims the right to have the claims of French citizens, which have arisen since the adjustment above spoken of considered by the joint tribunal which will adjust the Venezuelan debts upon a basis of equality with those of other na- tons.
 This contention Is strongly resisted by some of the allied powers and Is one of the points which is likely to lead to the oN which must he disposed of before final ar- rangement can be made to arbitrate the case.
 All Make Reservations.
 The official day closed without further developments here respecting the Vene- zuelan complications. The status of the arbitration proposition. on which every one waits was that while willingness to accept such a solution in principle, Is shown. not one of the allies was ready to submit unreservedy to arbitration; in each case there were reservations or conditions insisted upon.
 Prospecting the method of arbitration If !, should come to that form of adjust meut. 1t is noted that the feeling Is grow ing that The Hague tribunal should ,,ndertake the case. MT. Bowen. 1t is re- ,orted wishes to come to Washington ;, order to personally effect an adjust ,a,+ with the resident Ambassadors of The allies. but while the State Depart nnskes no statement upon the point, it Is helieved that 1t does not regard this plan Uith favor. It is pointed out here, In rrnneotion with the precedent to refer the ,atter tc The Hague tribunal. that in .nme rhases the disputes wtll not admit of arbitration. Such is the case for in- stance where attacks of British and German subjects and the German lega- lion at Caracas and arrests of consular oGcars have made the Venezuelan of fense equivalent to attacks on the na- ticnal honor of the allies and as such to ho atoned for only by an ample apology. The Hague tribunal could not arbitrate sttch issues. but fl is pointed out at the State Department that the claims are