Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-12-24


tionists have answered President Castro's
proposition that they should unite with
the government aud turn their arms
against the foreigners who have attacked
Venezuela by referring the president to
General Matos, the only chief capable OF
dealing with the matter.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2S.-The cabinet
spent more than two hours today discuss
ing the situation. All the members were
present except Secretary Moody, who is
out OF the city.
Secretary Root was the first to arrive.
The president denied himself to all callers
and remained in consultation with the sec
retary Of war until the arrival Of the other
members.
Secretary Hay brought to the meeting
practically nothing new relating to the sit
uation. No response has been received
to the presidents original suggestion to
the powers that they refer the controversy
to The Hague tribunal and no formal re-
quest had been received for the president
to act as arbitratora.
VIII Appoint board.
1t is understood that the presidents plan,
II he determines to arbitrate, col ter plates
the appointment OF a board OF aiLlt ators.
He would not rely in such an important
undertaking on any one man, neither docs
he feel himself able to spare the time nec-
essary for an examination in detail Of each
Of the many claims that would be presented
against Venezuela, Necessarily such a
board would include lawyers thoroughly
familiar with the practice of international
law. 81
1t is said the crucial point is likely to
hq the a. 4
laid down by great Latin American in
ternational lawyer. and for many years has
been regarded as beyond question by all
the Latin American republics II denies
the right Of any nation to intervene dipio-
matically on behalf OF one OF its subjects
where the courts OF the country are open
to- him Thus Rsn4snsiasil1s. .nsBeftod xhat
all claimants In the present controversy--
British, German, italian and French
might have gone before the Venezuelan
courts to obtain judgment. So determined
are the South American. countries to ad-
here to this doctrine that some of them
have gone to extraordinary lengths in their
resistance of diplomatic efforts. not
able case arose In Salvador Recently a
United States corporation obtained, after
arbitration, a judgment against the gov
ernment. The verdict was received with
intense Indignation in Salvador, and so in
tense was the anti-foreign feeling that a
law was passed within the last few weeks
making 1t criminal offense, and one to
be heavily punished, for any Salvadorean
to give evidence before any court on be-
half OF foreigner claiming damages
against the government.
Monroe Doctrine in Danger.
1t is now known that some members OF
the cabinet are opposed to referring the
matter TO The Hague tribunal. because
In the first place, they have no desire TO
submit the Monroe doctrine to the AtbItra-
ment of any non-American tribunal Not
that the fairness OF The Hague arl.tr, tors
is impeaehed, but most of them represent
european and monarchical interests, and
1t lis realized that their training might
make them unsympathetic when they were
required to deal with such an essentially
American subject as the Monroe doctrine. =
1t is true that on its face the arbitra- =
tion proposal contains nothing to indicate
that this doctrine is to be assailed, but so
numerous are the questions that will come
before the board that II is apprebended
here that the famous doctrine can hardly
be kept from consideration.
Another reason that animates the cab
met in this inclination is their conviction
that an inordinate length OF time would
| be consumed II the issue was taken 10 The
Hague. The machinery is SUFFICIENT, but
ponderous and dif1eult to put In motion.
/ First, there must be arranged a basis OF
arbitration, and arbitrators must be Sc
| lected by the parties to the case who must
In turn choose an umpire or umpires, and
while all this is going on the blockade
would continue with its ever-present
| dannar NJ =
that might render nugatory all attempts
at arbitration.
On the other hand, II the president un-
/ dertakes the settlement he can get rid
Of all red tape and start the work In a
few days.
Senator Cullom called at the State de.
| partment today with a bundle Of tele-
grams. protesting against the president ac-
cepting the offer to arbitrate.
The following cablegram was received
at the Navy department from Commander
Diehl Of Marietta, dated La Guayra:
Germany establishes blockade OF Puerto
! Cabello on December p, Maracaibo Decem.
| ber "a Steamers from the United States
| and West Indies ten days grace, sails
twenty. days. Steamers from the other
! ports, twenty days. sails forty days Yes.
sells not Venezuelan in blockaded ports
fifteen days grace.
Tells why ships Were sunk,
Copyright, 1902 by Press Publishing Co.
WILLEMSTAD, Curacao, Dec. 23.-(Nev
York World Cablegram-special Telegram
The true story of the sinking OF Ven
ezuelan vessels by the German erulse
Panther, as learned today from ofieia
sources. is that the commander OF tn
cruiser had TO choose between sinking tn,
vessels or permitting them to go free afte
| seizing them when he was called 10 lam
marines to aid Consul Lenz. who had sig
nailed that the consulate was being at
tackled.
Panther has seized the two vessels in tn
harbor and was escorting them outsid
when the distress signal was seen on tn
German consulate ashore