Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-24
MANY OBSTACLES
In Way to Prevent President
Acting As Arbiter.
Although He Could Soon Start Mat
tiers Toward Settlement.
President and Cabinet Giving Affair
Careful Consideration.

| Washington. Dec 23.-The formal
proposals of Great Britain and Ger
many that President Roosevelt arbi-
trate the Venezuelan dispute did not
| arrive here. last night, nor were they
| ut hand, today. when the cabinet met.
1t is expected that they will reach
Washington within a day or TWO.
Strong pressure Is being brought 10
hear upon the President TO decline TO
| act all arbitrator. This pressure comes
| from the newspapers. from public men
| throughout the country and from sena-
| tors and representatives in Washing
| ton. Senator Cuilom of the Senate
committee on foreign relations, called
at the state department, today, with a
bundle of kilograms. all energetic pro-
| tests from prominent Illinoisians,
against the embarkation of the Presi-
dent upon this arbitration scheme.
| The cabinet spent it's entire meeting,
| tocay. in discussion Of the Venezuelan
situation. Views for and against the
| Presidents acceptance of the invitation
10 arbitrate We're Debated Pending
| the receipt of the invitations il is ex-
| pected that the President declines to
commit himself as to his course.
The state department received Il
| cabegram. today. from Minister Bowen.
| the first for several days, recording the
| este blishment of the blockade lines. ac-
cordine TO the proclamation already is
sued and stating that The port of Coro
is not vet blockaded. He also an
| nornced that the Rev. d. Schneider.
the only Protestant clergyman in Cara
| cas- is dead.
| The meeting was prolonged to more
| than two hours. All the members Were
present. except Secretary Moody. who
| is out of the city. Secretary Root ar
| rived first He entered the Presidents
office shortly after 10 O'Clock. The
| President denied himself 10 all callers
and remained in consultation with the
| secretary of war until the arrival Of
| the other members.
| Secretary Hay brought to the meeting
| practically nothing new relating to the
| situation. No response had been re-
ceived to the Presidents original sug-
gestion 10 the powers that they consent
4 to the reference of the Venezuelan con-
| troyelsy to the arbitration OF The
| IIa que tribunal. and no formal request
| has been received that the President
act as arbitrator of the difficulty. That
such Il request will be received formally
| and officially is now practically as
srlel Ii is known that the President
| AND al of the members of his cabinet
At first preferred that the whole vexa-
tious question should be referred 10
The Hague tribunal.
| It is understood that the Presidents
| piar. If he determines to arbitrate, con-
| templates the appointment Of board
of arbiters. He viii not confide this
| important undertaking TO any one man
| ,Ior ices he feel able himself to spare
| the vast amount of time necessary for
| an examination in detail of each of the
| many claims that would he presented
| against Venezuela. Necessarily the
| Presidents arbitration would include
some member of a high order of legal
talent. rs well as others thoroughly
| ve"scd in the practice of international
law.
| 1t is stated that the crucial point to
| como before The arbitration is the ia
nous "Calvo doctrine This doctrine,
| which WAS laid down by the greatest
| If Latin-American International law
yers ana FOR very many years has been
regarded as beyond question by all of
| the Latin republics. denies the right Of
any nation to intervene automatically
| in behalf Of one of its subjects. where
| the courts Of the country are open to
| mis- application for justice. Thus Nene-
| zue!a has asserted that all of these
! claimants British, German. Italian,
| French might have gone before the
| Venezuelan courts and if their causes
had been Just and so decided by the
| courts. the government would have
paid the judgments
| The objection TO this view is that ne
account is taken of miscarriages of JUS
| tice and of racial antipathies. but so
1 determined are the South American
| countries to adhere TO this doctrine
| that some of them have gone 10 extra
| ordinary lengths in their resistance of
| diplomatic efforts Of foreign govern
] mcnts to secure justice For subjects.
| A notable case is that of Salvador
Recently a Unit=d States corporation
| obtained. after arbitration. a judgment
| against the government of Salvador
| The verdict was received with intense
indignation in Salvador. and so intense
was the anti-foreign feeling excited
that a law has been passed within the
. last few weeks making ii a criminal Of
fence, and one to be heavily punished,
for any Salvadorian to give any evil
derce whatever before any court in be-
half of a foreigner claiming damages
against the Salvadorian government
This doctrine will be on trial before the
arbitrator and because of its vast i'm
portance If President Roosevelt APP
points a board. he will see that the
members are men of the highest CALI
bro.
1t is known that now some members
of the cabinet are opposed to referring !
the matter to The Hague tribunal for
these reasons:
In the first place they have no desire
to submit the Monroe doctrine to the Z
arbitrament of any n-American tri-
bunal. not even excepting the august
ard emnently fair tribunal of The
Hague They very much prefer that il
this doctrine is to be the subject of
arbitration. if il is to be even brought
in incidentally, that American infu- I
.anceS shall pass on it.
r..