The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-27
GERMANY HESITATES
OVER VENEZUELAN
PEACE OYERTURES
Situation Still One of Grave
Uncertainty
ALLIES DESIRE MORE TIME
Venezuela's Guarantee Questioned-May
Be Merely to Permit Discussion of
Blockade Proposition.
ALLIES DESIRE MORE TIME

Just at the moment when the ending
of the acute phase of the Venezuelan
trouble appeared assured5-new diHicu!ti
ties have been raised-or rather the pos
sibiIity Of their appearance has been
suggested-that will tend to postpone
final action. and cause d continuance Of
the uncertainty which is believed TO be
full Of danger to the peace Of more than
one nation.
The advices received here yesterday
that the British and Italian governments
we're favorable to the acceptance Of
Minister Bowen's proposals for raising
the blockade were believed to be the
Immediate forerunner of the announce
ment that the three allies had formally
consented to make this exceedingly i'm
portant concession. It was supposed
that the German government would Be
unable to resist the opportunities Of
her partners in the Venezuelan concert
to join them in ending the dangerous
situation which viii exist as long as
/ the sauadrons of European nations il
vest the Venezuelan coast.
Germany. however. according to the Of
fetal information made known here this
morning. has not accepted Mr.. Bowen's
proposal even in principle, and there is
now no telling when a unanimous agree
ment will be reached, if it is reached at
all, on the blockade proposition.
Question venezuela's Guarantee.
The new difficulty that has arisen con-
Germs the ability Of Venezuela to carry
out the promise of Mr. Bowen to guar
antee payment Of the foreign claims
through a pledge Of the Venezuelan Gus
toms. The allied powers have raised the
point that Venezuela may not be able, on
account of having given France, for ex-
ample, a prior lien on her customs, TO
fulfill the pledge and thus assure pay
tment to them. Mr.. Bowen has made a
iDogitive statement that the prior guaran-
tteas will not interfere Ia any way with
the success of his pledge in bshaif oi
Venezuela
There is q suspicion here that none
of the powers is really concerned over
this phase OF the matter, but that the
question has been raised more to gain
time while the governments Of England
Germany and Italy are trying to reach
an agreement on the blockade propo-
sition.
Conferences With Nj. Bowen.
Sir Michael Herbert, the British am
bassador, called on Mr.. Bowen this
mor-..zs and had a long conference with
him. Sir Michael appeared also in be
half of Count Quadt, the German charge
! d'affaires He was apparently very IA
I vorablv inclined toward the acceptance
bv the allies Of Mr.. Bowen's blockade
raising proposal, but had no authority
p to say that any one nation Of the thTes
was more willing than the others tc
meet the wishes of the Venezuelan plen-
fpotentiary.
Mr.. Pulido, the Venezuelan charge
Idaffaires. was at the Arlington. where
Mr.. Bowen is stopping, while Sir Nj
5 cbaeI was visiting the latter, but did no
20 to Mr.. Bowen's apartments while th'
british representative was there, al
/ during the severance Of the diplomats
relations OF Venezuela and the Euro
pean allies no representative Of tn
e South American government is permit
} ted to recognize. personally OF officially
S q representative Of England, German,
2 or Italy. who is bound also to this sam
] rule with regard to persons in the EN-
b Uloy Of Venezuela.