The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-17
vENEzUElA's PROTEST.

The tone Of the response of President
Castro to the demands Of Germany is
evidently adopted with the possible de-
sign of involving the United States in
controversy, If not strife, with that ma
ton. 1t is Of value chiefly, so far as
the cable brief of it's contents admits
of judgment Of it's purport, as a demon
stration of the readiness Of the ordi-
nary Latin-American nation to avail
itself of the Monroe doctrine While
maintaining toward these states an es-
sentially unfriendly attitude in it's gen.
eral national relations
If Germany should find it necessary
to resort to the temporary seizure of a
Venezuelan port for the collection of
the debts of it's subjects, the ordinary
means of securing their collection net j
being available, the United States will
no doubt regard the action in the light
of a possible violation of the Monroe
doctrine. But the conviction expressed
by President Castro that the act will
ipso facto involve a violation of the
Monroe doctrine is far from being war
ranted. The circumstances will wholly
determine that question. Under no
| circumstances will that doctrine be OPP
| erative as means of avoiding the ma
tional obligations of any government
which thinks it expedient to appeal
| to it.
The representation has been made
to the United States by Germany that
/ 1t may become necessary to resort to
such extreme means as the seizure of
| a Venezuelan port for the collection
of the debts Of German subjects. 1t
| will of course be unfortunate from
| every point Of view if such course
should be resorted to. In the unset
| tied condition of the affairs of the Ven
| ezuelan republic it can hardly be said
that the pronouncement of the authori-
ties of the Venezuelan government has
all the sanction of an undisputed ma
tiona1 demand The existing govern
ment may be overthrown at any mo-
ment, and the entire face of the stu
alton in the controversy between Ger
many and Venezuela become changed.
The notification of this government
or the possible seizure accompanied as
1t is by the assurance that Germany has
no intention of assailing the territorial
integrity of the Venezuelan, is in itself
a recognition of the binding effect of
the Monroe doctrine by Germany, so
far as it goes. Yet such a notification
will not absolve Germany should this
government be convinced that the cir
cumstances do not demand any such
extreme measure
President Castro may believe, as is
1ntimated, that the appeal made by
him against foreign intervention NAV
operate to unity the sentiment of the
Venezuelan people in favor of his gov
eminent in its present difficulties. With
such consideration the United States
has nothing whatever to do. The view
which Americans will take of the stu
alton in any event will probably be that
the seizure should not be resorted to
until all peaceful and otherwise ade-
quate means are exhausted for the col
lection of the alleged Indebtedness; but
that if it is resorted to the event of
itself will not be taken as calling for
our intervention. No American nation
VIII be allowed for it's own purposes
to embroil this republic with any ma
ton with which we are at peace.