The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-30
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT WILL
NOT ACT AS ARBITRATOR.
SOME MONEY MUST Be PAID
Monroe Doctrine Will Not Be Brouuht
Into Questionable Agreement
Concerning BIocade.

Washington Dec. 26.-President
Roosevelt will not be the arbitrator of
the Venezuelan controversy. The
whole vexatious subject will be re-
ferred for adjudication to The Hague
tribunal.
Epitomized, this was the situation
as it had resolved itself at the con-
clusion of the cabinet meeting today.
The meeting was not so long as. the
sessions usually are. All the members
except Secretary Root were present.
The Venezuelan question was the
principal and practically the only
topic of general concern under con-
sideration.
Secretary Hay presented the re-
suits of his cable correspondence with
the governments at London, Berlin,
Rome and Caracas. In accordance
with the suggestion made by Presi-
dent Roosevelt through Secretary
Hay President Castro was reported
to have agreed to submit the diff
culties to the arbitration of the tri-
bunal at The Hague.
The European powers not only con
scented to submit the controversy to
arbitration, but while they had ex-
pressed a preference for an arbitra-
ton to. be conducted by President
Roosevelt they had assented to his sug-
.gestion that the matter be referred to
The Hague.
The presentation of the case met
the hearty approval of the cabinet.
No fear is expressed by the admins
tration that the Monroe doctrine will
be brought into the controversy in
any manner that might result in an
embarrassing situation for the Unit
ed States.
Secretary Hay is preparing a note
to the powers in which the gratifica-
tion of this government is expressed
for the curse agreed upon. No init
nation is given of the conditions
which may have been imposed by the
European powers or by President
Castro's precedent to the arbitration.
1t is known hal Great Britain was
willing to submit the subject to the
arbitration of President Roosevelt
practically without conditions, but the
suggestion is made that one and per-
haps two of the other powers involved
proposed some conditions, which
might have proved embarrassing to
the president, had he undertaken the
responsibility of, determining the ques-
ton.
1t is understood that some money
must pass, but it is also known that
the amount of cash to be required of
Venezuela before arbitration is not
nearly so large as has been stated.
1t is not possible to learn either
whether the allies insist upon apol-
ogies from Castro, and while it is as
sumed that the blockade will be
speedily raised, no arrangement to
that end has yet been made.
Prior to the cabinet meeting today
Senator Cullom of Illinois, chairman
of the committee on foreign relations,
had all interview with the president
regarding the Venezuelan situation.
In fact, the conference related wholly
to that matter. At the conclusion Of
the interview Senator Cullom said to
an Associated Press representative
that while he could lot speak with
absolute definiteness on account of
the nature of the exchanges on the
subjest among the powers, it seemed
likely now that the controversy would
be referred to the arbitration Of The
Hague tribunal.