The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-21
PAINFUL DILEMMA
suggestion that Roosevelt Act as
Arbitrator Meets With Disfsyor.
PUNITIVE STEPS TO CONTINUE
Negotiations for an AmisbIe Agreement
Will Be Slow.
MONROE DOCTRINE IS BEING TESTED
Among Statesmen the PreeerdeTsncs Of
opinlon Favors The Hsaus Trbunsi
as Best Method of Arbitration.
PUNITIVE STEPS TO CONTINUE
MONROE DOCTRINE IS BEING TESTED
Special to The post1

NashingtoD. December 20 The feeling
thst the Venezuelan trouble Will b. set.
tlsd b. arbitration without reeort to further
violence continues 20 prevail in official and
congressional circles here. While Il Is
rslliEed that the progress Of the neEotia-
tons looking 70 an amicable agreement as
to tAA manner cf arbitration viii probably
~ slow, st Is hoped that ultimately the par
Mes 70 the dispute viii be no'e 10 meet
upon common ground and that eolution
If the several problems involved viii he
forthcoming vitaogt unnecessary delay.
Among those who are scauainted with
the situation md who have been asked ns
to their views regarding the best method
~ arbitration. the preponderance Of opin-
ION fayors Tee Hague tribunal II is con
sllerel more than odd In some quarters
that reference to that court has been de-
aycd thus long This court 49, establish
- for the very purpose OF settiiug disputes
similar 70 the present one, and careful
Students 81 the situation think there should
w. 40 DELAY IN getting the matter before
Thar tribunal which 1t Is conceded IS in
Irttar position 70 d. t&s necessary work
-ar any other available organization The
proposition that the matter Ne submitted 70
President Roosevelt Tor arbitration does not
prrutusrly commend Itself 20 any except
those who src interested So turthcring the
political prospects Of the president. The
suggestion that Nr Roosevelt net AS ar
hitratnr would hardly have been made had
II mr. been Tor his action with reference to
the coal sirlso. u IS pointed out TINT, IN
the hrst place settling q coal strike and
settling an inferno Houol dispute are two
ertirslv different nattorE. aud that in to'
second place e S. not absolutely certain
that tho presidents Intervention 10 the
strike matter has bccu ns successful ~ II
might have boon
Not much attention H. paid 10 tho report
which places tho president 81 die coy at
tuudc ~ saying inst he will yield 30 thu
supplicatous Tor his services II such &C
tion be necessary to prevent war, II lg not
considered Hkcly that any such alternative
wlu ever bo presented. II r. pointed out
tPat e would not no advisable Tor tho
president 81 consent 70 act ms arbitrator
for tho reason that bis decision would prob
ably enrr the enmity ~ az least one party
to the dispute while, by remaining neutral
except IN the event Of some tangible viola
tion Of the Monroe doctrine. We may retain
the friendship 81 all concerned.
one rather unfortunate feature OF th'
situation IS that the program OF the aihe'
looking 10 the blockadlng OF Venezuelan
ports is apparently not being disturbed b.
the efforts To bring about the arbitration O.
the matter rhe opinion seems tn prevail
that the punitive steps now being takel
Mn continue until some definite decision
regarding arbitration is arrived at by al
concerned. II Is argued that we have 70
-rc-tod tho doctrine for 80 many years tina
% 0ould bc mn indication Of weakness nn'
y hacLdovn cr the part Of the Unite.
states g. abandon the principle now.
congressman polut to the fact that th
ircrc rcasserilop ~ the Monroe ductrin
sud the declaration that this country wouN
raturcc % brought England promptly &
Terms when Cleveland was president, am
that even iu the present controversy bot
England and Germany approached thiSsoY
eminent 10 inquire how FAR they would b
allowed 10 proceed without mourning Tn
,nspleasure Of the United States,