Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-06
WANTED AS ARB|TER
Allies Desire President RooSe-
Velt to Act.
GREAT BRITAIN'S NOTE
CONFERENCE OVER THE VENE-
ZUELAN MATTER.
It is Denied That There is Any Per-
sonal Feeling Between Those En-
gagged in Negotiations.
GREAT BRITAIN'S NOTE

Events are moving swiftly toward ter
mination of the Venezuelan negotiations at
this capital, but 1t is impossible as yet to
forecast the end. Early today Secretary
Hay received an important communication
from the British ambassador. In substance
It was a proposition that in view of the
fact that the ambassador had found 1t i'm
possible to convince Mr.. Bowen of the just
ness and soundness of his cause, President
Roosevelt himself should take up and pass
Judgment upon the allies demand for pref
erentiai treatment in the settlement Of
their claims against Venezuela.
The Secretary of State Immediately re-
paired to the White House and laid this
proposition before the President, who took
1t under consideration and that was the
status Of the Venezuelan trouble when the
cabinet met for without awaiting the Pres
ident's decision Secretary Hay left the
White House and returned to the State De-
partment to transact some routine business
before returning to the cabinet meeting.
Will Consider the Matter.
After discussing the matter with Secre-
tary Hay especially and generally with the
other cabinet officers, the President decided
to examine in detail the merits OF the prop
osition submitted by the British ambas-
sador, who represented, as he stated, the
allies. AS Venezuela is necessarily party
to any negotiations, even before the Presl-
dent or The Hague, the President decided
that he would have to hear from Mr.. Bowen
to learn whether 1t was also his wish that
he (the PresidenD should pass upon this
question of preferential treatment as well
as some minor points developed In the allies
note. 1t Is expected that Mr.. Bowen will
make speedy answer to that proposition,
toward which he Is not believed to incline
favorably, and it will then be for the Presi-
dent to determine whether or not he shall
undertake the task of arbitrator.
1t is stated positively that the allies note
makes absolutely no complaint of Mr.. Bowen,
and it is explicitly stated that while the
exchanges have been at times rather heated
there Is absolutely no personal feeling be-
tween the nego dators and no rupture be-
tween them
Feeling in Official Circles.
1t is quite plain that in official circles the
belief continues to grow that a reference
to The Hague of the Venezuelan trouble
Is the logical outcome of the present situ-
alton, but with this talk of reference, there
Is a renewal of the objections that were
made to the proposition when 1t was first
broached several weeks ago, the principal
one being a reluctance to submit American
questions, possibly involving the Monroe
doctrine in some phase, to the arbitrament
of a European tribunal, for 1t is felt to be
almost certain majority Of the court
WOulu De CHOSEN ITO1n the representatives
of the European countries.
On the other hand there is unQuestion-
ably reluctance on the part of the Ger
man representative to have this Venezuelan
question ventilated IN The Hague tribu-
nal, for not only would a reference to
that court consume much time and absorb
a large part of any award that might be
rendered. but 1t is hnted that an open
Of some of the Venezuelan loans and
judicial investigation into the character
claims would not be altogether free from
scandal.
Allies Falling Out.
One consideration that is hastening the
movement of events here Is the growing
evidence of distrust between the allies.
Their personal relations are entirely cor
dial but IT now appears that both Germany
and Italy had reason to believe that they
had been overreached in recent phase Of
the negotiations by their ally. Ii seems
that in recognizing the British ambassado
as the principal in the negotiations. so far
as the claimants were concerned, Mr.. Bowen
endeaVored to ascertain what was the mini
mum amount OF cash required to satisfy
the British government for personal injury
sustained by its subjects. which it insisted
must be satisfied before a protocol could be
signed and the blockade lifted The am
oassador fixed the figure al $500 which
Mr.. Bowen promptly agreed to pay. This
was early in the negotiations. and ii is now
said that neither the Italian nor the Ger
man representative Knew OF tnat agree
ment until Mr.. Bowen, at the conference
Monday, alluded to it as matter OF course.
Claims an Equal Footing.
They apparently took little notice of the
reference at the time, but scarcely had the
conference closed before these representa-
tvs were seeking Mr.. Bowen privately to
inquire into what was regarded as prefer
entail treatment as between the allies
MI Bowen soon allayed their apprehen-
sions by promising at yesterdays meeting
with Count Quadt to pay the German and
Italian claims OF the same charac cter as the
British claims, and so the allies were again
placed on the same footing. Mr. Botwen
meanwhile making it clear that he had no
thought of discriminating between them
remarking that he supposed that all knew
what he had been doing