The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1903-01-08

|
the Boer war; while both England and
Germany declined to follow Russia 8
lead in agreeing to refer the question OF
the Chinese indemnity a year or two
ago to The Hague tribunal, although
that was a question especially adapted
to judicial treatment. Their attitude
toward the promising International
court OF appeals, in short, has from the
time Of its inception been cold and in
different, whether from inherent dislike
OF the arbitration principle or from Jeal-
ousy OF Russia's connection with 1t need
not concern US. In any event, their
present decision to utilize the courts
functions serves enormously the general
cause of international arbitration, be-
cause that decision enhances the prest-
age and power of The Hague tribunal
in particular. It may easily follow,
also, that the reference to the court OF
this special case will contribute substan-
TALLY to the authoritative development
of international law in direction where
now some uncertainty and disagree
ment prevail, as, for example, the
question of governments to resort to
diplomatic measures or to actual co
ercion to collect the claims of their PR
vate citizens against the governments
of these foreign countries in which they
are voluntarily residing.
''All this is aside from the advantage
to the United States of keeping its exc
cutive clear of judicial functions in the
quarrels of European nations with
American republics Our interests as
it has been said again and again the
past week, would not be served by the
utilization of the president OF the
| United States as an arbitrator in such
controversies. For the Venezuelan case
of today may be followed by the Co
lumbar, the Nicaraguan or the Guate-
malan case of tomorrow, and it is de-
sirable that a precedent be established
right now for their reference to The
| Hague rather than to Washington.
| President Roosevelt has won, in fresh
measure, the confidence of the people
by his final refusal to accept the office
of arbitrator which the allied powers
pressed upon him in such "a tlattering
manner. That he was disposed at first
to accept the place, need not in the
least derogate from the credit due him
for declining the honor. The affair
seems to have been managed, from the
point of view of the United States,
much better in its later than in its
earlier stage, for the development of
the business has shown 50 conclusively
the great influence of the United States
with Germany and England that the
wonder grows why Secretary Hay did
not suggest strongly to the powers that
their action be deferred until Venezuela
had had a chance to regain her brea h
after violent civil war. As it is, the
| Venezuelan civil strife has been famed
into renewed life, thanks to the attacks
by England and Germany and this has
come dangerously near oppression of
the weak by the strong. On the Other
hand, the ultimate effect of the warlike
demonstration should teach states like
Venezuela that they cannot go on for
ever ignoring with IMMUNITY their
| ,l,a al e INN,
| governments A similar but much
worse shock taught Mexico a lesson, a
, generation ago, which seems to have
had salutary effect upon that repub-
lie; and it is to be hoped that Venezue-
la will soon show tendency to emulate
her Spanish American sister at the
north in political stability, civil order
and financial security.
LAS the affair now takes on its final
aspect of international harmony, it re-
mains to be said that those who have
been so sure that Germany was up TO
II deep game, intent upon destroying
the Monroe doctrine, cunningly making
enemies of England and America, or
conspring in some devilish fashion to
gain foothold in this hemisphere,
have had some bad nights without OBJ
tanning the slightest confirmation Of
their fears The most that could be
charged against Germany was equally
true of England and that is that both
would very much like to induce the
United States to take over rs trustee
whatever it wants of South and Cen
trail America and guarantee the pay
ment of debts and claims in all that
region. In that sense, perhaps they
are conspirators against our national
comfort, safety and happiness. Other
wise, it seems that Germany-the
power most dreaded by some of our
people has acted from the outset with
considerable care to avoid giving oifense
to the United States End to placate Mt