The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-14

the dispute among foreign powers as to
who was the true friend and who the Sc
cret enemy of the United States just before
the beginning of the Spanish war has be-
come almost amusing. Each statement
calls out a new one. each rejoinder a sur
rejoinder until one is almost led to believe
that the chancelleries of Europe carry de-
malls and replications in stock fitted to
disprove any charge or sustain any claim.
England, Austria. France, Russia and
Germany have all had their say. and some
of them two or three times over. The la
test statement from Eerlin is one of the
most interesting of the entire list and will
undoubtedly call forth a new one from
London. This statement leaves Germany
slightly ahead.
A London dispatch of the 10th inst said
that Henry Norman, the member of Par
lament who precipitated the whole con-
troversy. would, in day or two, prod
the secretary of foreign affairs by asking
whether his attention had been called to
the statements by the German press that
Great Britain. on April IA. 1885, through
her ambassadors. proposed a fresh joint
note in which the powers should declare
that Europe did not regard the armed in
tervention of the United States in Cuba
as justifiable, and that. in consequence of
Germanys refusal to accept this proposal,
the step was abandoned. To this inquiry
the secretary gave a fat negative He
said: mo. sir. Her late Majesty's gov
Majesty's ambassador or otherwise any
declaration averse TO the action of the
United States in Cuba. On the contrary
her late Majesty's government declined to
assent to any such proposal" But Ger
many is not silenced yet. A dispatch from
Berlin says 1.-The last statement of Lord
Cranborne causes amazement there" and
declares that Lord Pauncefote did, of his
own initiative, on April IA. 1898, propose to
the other ministers in Washington practi-
cally joint Intervention by the powers to
prevent war. In support Of this assertion
the official organ of the German govern
ment publishes a dispatch from Dr. Won
Holleben. German ambassador at Wash
ington, notifying his government of the
substance of Lord Pauncefotes PROPOSE
ton. and another contemporaneous dis
patch in which DR.. Won Holleben for
warded the text of a collective telegram
alleged TO have been submitted by Lord
Pauncefote to the other ministers to be
sent TO their respective governments. As
the controversy is becoming warm and is
likely to figure in history. the text of this
collective telegram becomes important. 1t
is as follows:
The attitude OF Congress and the reso-
luton of the House of Representatives
passed yesterday by large majority leave
but little hope OF peace, and II Is popularity
believed that the warlike measures advo-
Gated have the approval of the great pow
ers. The memorandum of the Spanish
minister, delivered on Sunday, appears TO
me and my colleagues 10 remove all iegiti-
mate cause for war. If that view should
be shared by the great powers the time has
arrived to remove the erroneous impress
sion which prevails that armed interven-
ton of the United States in Cuba com
mands. in the words Of the message. the
support and approval of the civilized
world" IL is suggested by the foreign rep
resentatives that this might be done by a
collective expression from the great pow
ers I'm the hope that the United States gov
eminent will give favorable consideration
20 the memorandum of the Spanish minis
ter OF April 10 as Offering a reasonable
basis for an amicable solution aud rernov-
ing any grounds for hostile intervention
which may have previously existed.
This. be it remembered. was DR.. Won
Honebens statement to his government at
the time of the contents of Lord Paunce-
Totes alleged proposition. AS this is con-
temporaneous evidence. it seems incredible
that Lord Pauncefote did not make some
proposition looking 10 joint action, and it
is also incredible that the German ambas-