The aegis & intelligencer., 1902-12-19

MOONS PHASES.
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THE POSITION OF THE UNITED
STATES.
The elimination of the Venezuelan
trouble was the bomdardment of the
fort and custom house of Puerto,
Cavello, by the British and German
allies on Saturday. The lombard
ment was answered by the guns of
the fort, which however, were soon
silenced. The engagement lasted
about forty-five minutes. The fort
was almost demolished, but it is
probable that only a few persons
were injured by the shells. The
United States Consul located at the
place was asked by committee of
merchants to intervene. Heaccepted
the mission and visited the cruisers,
but could obtain no alteration in the
decision OF the allies. The Navy De-
partment have ordered several ofthe
heavy fighting ships of Admiral
Dewev's command to be in close
proximity to Venezuelan waters
towards the latter part of this week.
1t is claimed however, by the De-
partment that this order, which was
issued two weeks ago, only antici-
cipated the allowance of the crews
Of the different vessels to spend the
Christmas holidays ashore.
The position of the United States
in this matter is of an exceedingly
delicate nature and it will require
neat diplomacy to prevent this coun-
try from becoming involved in COM
plication with England and Ger
many, both of these nations being
now on friendly terms with us.
At the beginning of this trouble,
President Roosevelt declared that
the Monroe doctrine could not be
used as fender to protect republics
of this hemisphere from the payment
Of their just debts. Thoughtful
statesmen think that the President
acted in a manner which is entirely
too prompt to show that reserve
which experience has taught nations
to be wise in dealing with each other
as there was no legal reservation of
how the Justice of a claimis to be de-
cided together with an investigation
ofa possible motive underlying the
claim.
1t seems that the President was so
confident that the two powers would
not encroach upon the Monroe doc
trine and therefore but little anxiety
was felt that trouble to the United
States could result from force to be
used against Venezuela to compel the
settlement of the claim. This feeling
of security was not disturbed until
the capture and destruction of the
Venezuela ships and the assumption
of determined attitude by President
Castro for the defense Of his position
by force if necessary. The gravity
of the situation is commencing to
dawn, and it is not altogether GER
tain that the United States has not
been compromised by manifesta-
ton by the President that he was too
frankly in sympathy with the credi-
tors in this case. Having agreed
that there could be no objection on
the part of the United States to
certain course to be pursued by the
two powers, the administration now
finds itself in an embarrassing posi-
ton should it become necessary to
makean objection to any further steps
OH theirpart.
A case that has been frequently
cited is that ofFrance. When James
G. Blaine, who was then Secretary
ofState, made a declaration with
reference to the question of a claim
of that government, he said. "The
Government of the United States
would regard with grave anxiety an
attempt on the part Of France to
force by hostile pressure the payment
bv Venezuela of her debts to French
citizens"
"The position taken by Mr.. Blaine
has not been strictly adhered to, but
the fact remains that the United
States has regarded with anxiety the
employment of force, by foreign pow
er, to compel the payment of private
debts, claimed to be due its subjects
by citizens or corporations in one of
the governments Of this hemisphere,
though this has not resulted in a
declaration of a policy of objection
to such force. The common belief is
that Mr.. Blaine went too far in one
direction, while Mr.. Roosevelt has
equally overstepped the margin in
the opposite way. The President is
the first of our chief executives to de-
fine the limits of the Monroe doctrine.
In his message to Congress last year
he disregarded a caution, which has
characterized the treatment of this
subject by all his predecessors, and