The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-09-27
KICKS At ENcLAND's ASSUMING
OWNERSHIP OF PATos
ISLAND.
VARIOUS OTHER GRIEVANCES
VENEZUELA ASSUMES AN ANGRY
. ATTITUDE TOWARD GREAT !.
ss BRITAIN.

Britain and Venezuela are on the
verge Of being severed.
Any day, almost any hour, may bring
the announcement that the BRUSH
minister at Caracas has been given MS
passports, with corresponding action
toward the Venezuelan representative
in London. The AUS of the Crisis
does not seem to be confined to any
particular incident, but consists In
various differences which eliminated
in Venezuela assuming such an mgr
attitude as. to leave Downing street
fully impressed with the belief that
the Venezuelan government 1ntenSs
to force matters to a crucial issue.
That a diplomatic rupture would result
in hostilities is q contingency thus lar
scarcely contemplated. The present
diplomatic relations are so strained
that, to quote q responsible British Of
fetal, it would make really very little
difference If the fact became public
property by the absence of the diplo-
matte representatives from Caracas
and London.
squabble About Goose Island.
The view of the foreign Office is that
affairs have reached a stage where 1t
is impossible to deal satisfactorily. with
Venezuela in any matter which may
come up. In proof of this contention,
the foreign Office instances the report
of the United States minister at Car
acas, Herbert W, Bowen, announcing
that the Venezuelan government
had protested against the British flag
being raised over Patos Tor Goose) is.
land, over which the Venezuelan gov.
eminent claimed sovereignty. Accord
ing to the British governments under
standing, Patos island belongs to Great
Britain just as much as Trinidad, and,
SO far as known, no questions as to its
ownership has ver arisen. In hab-
itants of the island have recently been
shot OF otherwise endangered through
the action of Venezuelans, whether
government or revolutionary parti-
sans is not known. For purposes of
protection the local West Indian au-
thorities ordered the British flag to be
prominently displayed on the, island.
Hence the protest, which the foreign
ofice says is one of many.
An exceptionally prominent official
said to q representative of the Associ-
ated Press last evening:
Hopelessly MuddIed.
affairs in Venezuela are 10 hope
lessly muddled that We can get nothing
done. There is no %concealing the fact
that the Venezuelan government has
made heated protests to u minister.
The chief grievance appears to be the
allegation that the British government
is aiding the revolutionary army. It is
needless to say that this is perfectly
baseless. We only wish the United
States would take over the whole coun.
try and then, perhaps, we could get
some peace. OF all the disturbances
of the last decade the present seems to
be the worst. This, combined with the
attitude of the nominal government,
makes us somewhat Indifferent to any
action which may take place. The
Venezuelans appear inclined to be
rather reckless, thanks chiefly to what
/ presume is the mistaken notion that
Washington will protect them from
the results Of their own folly. however
inimical that might be to the lives and
property of British subjects and those
Of other Europeans. AS we understand
Monroeism, Venezuela is quite mis-
taken in this matter, though apparent
~ the impression has much to do with
her present action" q