Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-02
WAR is NOT OUT OF QUESTION
United States Nay Be Involved in q
sanguinary- Struggle
MONROE DOCTRINE MAY NEED DEFENCE
Government at Washington Keenly
Alive to Conditions ana Ready
to Act Promptly in Any
Emergency.
tFrom a SCAR correspondent.l

NfTom stan correspondent
WASHINGTON. Feb. Especial )-On
Tuesday last in a speech at Canton, o..
Secretary Root, responding to the toast,
'The Army" said: Another war is sure
to come. no matter how much we may long
for peace" This startling declaration from
the head of the War department is but
reiteration OF the utterances Which he has
made on several occasions within the last
few years. No man understands better
than Secretary Root how close the United
States has come to war with a European
power within the last few months. And
yet the secretary of war with his col
leagues, the secretary of state, the seere-
tary Of the navy and the attorney gem
eral, were most vehement in protesting
against the acceptance of the position OF
arbitrator by the president only six weeks
ago.
On Tuesday before Christmas President
Roosevelt received a request from Germany
and Great Britain to act as a Judge between
those countries and Venezuela in the con-
troversy between them. The presi-
dent was somewhat elated over
the fact that the United States
bad been selected for this important post,
and 1t was his purpose to promptly ac-
cept the offer, but the four advisors above
mentioned protested most vigorously and
strsnuously against such a course They
held that Il was but a scheme on the part
OF the European powers to force the United
states to become the sponsor for the debts
OF the South American republics. The
president himself is man OF conviction
and earnestness and he did not hesitate
to argue most vigorously in support of the
| position which he had then decided to as
1 GYIu No.
net. 1t lasted for several hours and finally
the force OF the arugents OF Messrs Root.
Hay, Moody and Knox induced the president
to abandon his position and to decline to
fall into the trap which Germany had so
skilfully laid for him.
what the Fuss is About.
The controversy in Venezuela, as is very
well known, arises out of the dislnclination
of the spanish-American people to pay
their debts. 1t is comparatively easy
matter for any European or any American
to secure from a South American republic
concessions which are apparently of great
value. Under such conditions as these rail-
road, telephone and telegraph lines have
been constructed. harbors have been Inn
proved, breakwaters have been built, sew
erage systems have been established In
cities, mines have been opened and other
improvements Of a public or semi public
nature have been successfully inaugurated
Yet, in spite Of the fact that these ccnces-
sions have apparently borne every evidence
of good faith on the part OF the republics
granting them, the foreigners Who have in
vested their money have been deprived Of
their right, Just debts have been repudi-
ated and just settlements have nearly al
| AaN1 Ia A. - -
other hand, there can be scarcely any
question that these foreign concessionaires
have In many instances fostered revolts
against the existing governments, and II is
charged in the case Of Venezuela that alb
solute evidence exists that Germany has
been party to the attempt on the part of
the so-called revolutionists to overthrow
the government of President Castro.
| Whether or not that harrassed gentleman
was within his rights when he declined to
pay the demands Of Germany, Great Britain
and Italy Is an open question, but certainly
the blockade OF the ports OF the republic
was the result Of his policy Of delay when
ever n suggestion for the settlement OF
financial obligations was proposed
The Monroe doctrine, so called, never
contemplated for a moment that this coun-
try should interfere to prevent any re-
public on the American continent from
chastisement in the event OF its repudia-
tion OF its obligations. and so long as for
eign powers simply attempt to enforce the
payment Of debts due them or their people
the United States cannot, under the Monroe
doctrine. interfere but whenever any of
the European powers shall attempt to ac-
quire territory II will be the duty OF the
United States TO prevent that acquisition,
even though war may ensue.
II is very we'll understood In diplomatic
fcon,,nued. on F,,,h pa..l