The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-28
REPLY OF GERMANY
Answer Of Baron Won Richthofen to
Attacks Upon Her Policy
Toward Venezuela.
The Proposed Negotiations and Final
Reference to The Hague
in July, 1901.

= 4 I- s.-t - ~ s ~ = b B.. 4
The Journ a | is indebted to Major
William Gerlach for the following transla-
ton from the st. Paul Woke tszeitung of
Monday. 1t is the reply of Baron Won
Richthofen, secretary of state for for
,eign affairs, German empire, to attacks
upon the governments policy in Vene-
zuela. This reply was made in the reich
stag, Friday, Jan. %, and is of import
ance as it. shows greater effort on Ger
many's part to secure "a peaceful adjust
ment Of claims against Venezuela than
that country Germany has been given
credit for. This is the German govern
ment's side Of the ca Sc, according to
Baron Won Richthofen:
= "The reproach has been hurled at us
that in the Venezuelan affair we started
out with too much energy. l will admit
that we have indeed acted with our wonted
energy, but this only from the moment
when. we were forced to resort to arms
The foolish talk Of sounding of drums
and trumpets, however, is only idle gos-
sip On the contrary, as far as forbear-
ancc ana patience are concerned, we went
to the limit of human endurance, for
and this, is admitted by all-Venezuela
not only refused to offer a tangible equiv
alent for the obligations she had incurred
towards subjects Of the German empire
but committed at the same time bruta
acts Of violence against Germans and thei,
property. So long as we confined our
selves to diplomatic measures to urge oul
complaints, we did not, advance single
step. On the contrary, the Venezuelan
government boldly declared that all these
cases were not subjects for diploma tic
adjudication. Then followed a memoran-
dunn transmitted to us in the shape of a
note wherein the course pursued by us to.
wards Venezuela was fatty denounced as
insulting, utterly unjustifable outrageous
and uncalled for. -:~'>e
"Our proposition to clear away the mat
tiers at issue. extends back to July. 1901,
a time when, though a rare exception, nc
civil war was raging in Venezuela, and
the president therefore probably in posi-
ton to satisfy our claims. --....
In a note Of our charge d'affaires
dated July 16, 1901. the following occurs
The proposal had the honor to submit
verbally to your excellency is as follows
The government of Venezuela on theil
part, and the imperial minister resident
on the other side, shall each nominate two
representatives, who shall Jointly investi.
gate the claims of German subjects arts
ing out of the civil wars. In every case
where both sides agree upon an indem-
nifty, it shall be Immediately paid. Jr
cases where they cannot reach an agree.
ment, the matter shall be further dis.
cussed in conferences between the Ven.
ezuelan government and the German min.
lister resident Should these conferences
not lead to a final settlement, then an out
side authority, e. g., the Interna tiona
Hague tribunal shall be invoked to settle
the question in issue =.
1.-THE proposition to refer these matter!
to The Hague court therefore dates bacl
to July, 1901. President Castro gave no
the least sign that he intended to answer
this proposal. -. g..
During the debate here the assertion
| has been made that the fleet violated in
| terna tional law in selling merchant YES
sells. BY the establishment Of the block
ade a state Of war was created between
us and Verezuela, and the fleet had tn,
unquestioned right--'frone its own stand
point it was it's duty'-to seize Venezuelan
merchant shipping. The English am
Italians did the same. %;.@ g..
''The present diplomatic situation i
! this: A pleniplotentiary, selected by Ven
ezuela, Mr.. Bowen, arrived in washington
| from Caracas three days ago. He had
conference with the representatives o
| Germany, England and Italy. We eel
only hope that these negotiations ma
soon lead to a satisfactory solution, tina
we may receive satisfaction, and be abb
to raise the blockade. But, gentlemen
we must not forget, that while the block
ade lasts the blockading forces must main
! tain the blockade in full vigor in the re
gions assigned to them. This is probabl
the reason for the action of the Germa
vessels against Fort San Carlos during tn
past few days. We have no official ad
vices from there. Yes, gentlemen, so fal
we have received only one dispatch fror
the commander of the Fake, dated Cur
acoa, Jan. %. 1t is as follows: Accord
ing to advices, worthy of credit, fror
Maracaibo, the Vineta and Panther bonn
barded Fort San Carlos, set it on fire an
destroyed it, 1885,.
This explains fully why we have nc
yet any direct advices. It could hardl
be otherwise. Two or three vessels too
part in the action. In this situation it
simply impossible for the commander
send one Of these vessels to the Telegram
station at Curacao to file a dispatch, fc
then he would be obliged to get alon
without this vessel for two days, whic
is again impossible because he has onl
two or three ships on the blockading lin
The land lines through Venezuela al
closed to him. He is therefore depender
on the Venezuelan port, Curaco'
|alone. D..
How near private advices from Mara
caibo are to the truth, cannot be judge
at this distance. In other words, Mare
|