Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-04
PEACE IN SIGHT.
The Allies Expected to Accept
Mr.. BoWen's Terms
And Take Preferential Treatment for
Limited Time in Venezuela.
Thought that All Will Agree Within
Next "a Hours.

Washington, Feb. 3.-There are as yet
no advices from the allied governments
respecting the nature of the next pro-
pOsal they will submit to Mr. Bowen,
Fenezuela's representative, for set
tlement of their claims, but there is
good authority, tonight, for the state
ment that the note of Mr.. Bowen ad-
dressed to the British ambassador, last
night, will result in an adjustment of
the trouble.
AT the British embassy, today, the
most important conference that the
representatives of the allies here have
yet held among themselves, took place.
Mr.. Bowen. of course, was not present.
The conference was called to consider
the recommendations which the Ital-
ian and British ambassadors and the
German minister should make to their
governments as to the next step to be
taken. AS a result of this conference
the foreign office at London, Berlin and
Rome are in possession of suggestions
which. if adopted, will mean the sue
cess of the Washington negotiations
and the raising of the blockade.
The allied powers have been again
requested by their representatives to
consent to priority of payment of their
claims for limited period only and
equality of all claimant nations there
after. Mr.. Bowen has stated that he is
willing that the allies receive prefer
entail treatment for one month, if at
the end of that time all the claimant
nations be placed on an equal basis as.
to time and proportionate payment.
AT the conference at the British en-
bassy it was agreed that a note should
be addressed to the three governments
of Great Britain, Germany and Italy,
setting forth the exact attitude of the
United States with reference to the
powers preferential demand, the state
of public feeling here regarding it, and
to urge a prompt acceptance of prefer
entail payments for a period of from
one to six months. An answer is hoped
for from one if not all OF the allies
within the next "a hours.
The question of referring the one
question of preferential treatment to
The Hague for settlement, as suggest
ed by Mr., Bowen in his note to the
British ambassador, came up at the
conference and it was evident at once
that the negotiators We're one in their
OPHOoiliOii " SciilllS III IiS Qe LII
bunal except as a last resort. The
point was made at the conference that
if the three allied governments would
arrange for a compromise along the
lines suggested by Mr.. Bowen they
would do much to prove their claim
that the real basis of their preferential
demand was one of honor and not OF |
the dollars.
The British ambassador in CAN on |
Mr.. Bowen during the forenoon, asked |
him regarding his proposition 10 refer |
the matter to The Hague, and it devel- |
oped that Mr.. Bowen was no less anx-
ious than the allies representatives
that the whole controversy be settled
here and now.
Confidence that a settlement will be |
forthcoming at Washington in a short
time is based to a considerable extent |
on the activity of Baron Speck Won |
Sternburg. The fact that the minister |
is known to be in close touch with the
Emperor is the ground for the belief |
that he may be able through his repre- |
sensations to Berlin to rouse the Lon |
don foreign office to a realization of the |
acuteness of the situation here and the |
desirability of prompt action of a char
acter that will settle the trouble.
The President, today, received a call |
from Baron Won Sternburg and the two |
spent half hour or more in an infor- |
NAL conversation of the Venezuelan af-
fair. The President is most anxious
that the blockade be raised at the
earliest possible moment and it is be- |
lieved that this fact will have consid. |
cradle weight with Emperor William.
Citizens of Mexico also have claims |
against Venezuela and that govern
ment has asked to be put on an equal |
footing with the other nations when the |
time comes for settling up. Notice of |
Mexico's intention was communicated |
to Minister Bowen, today, blythe Mex |
lean ambassador at this capital, Senior |
Aspiroz, which informed Mr.. Bowen |
THAT the claims of the citizens of his
country amounted in all to G1SOOO
sterling, or approximately 500 0Oo