The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-31
DAMAGED BY
 THE ALLIES Venezuela May Put in Claims. BREAKERS MAY BE AHEAD The Hague Tribunal a Port
 Of Refuge. 1ue ss.t zsw tAa lrAtsss :. Issue 5 ars to 1s 1rsusht 1sfsrs
 That Court t un-
 certain -,-.-,
BREAKERS MAY BE AHEAD

Washington. yan. sa.-1f lfr. Bowen cannot adjust vsnssusla's claims with the allies. the purpose is to have The Hague arbitration tribunal pass on theru
 But just how the ysnasuelan question is to ret before The Hague In the event of Mir. Bowers failure to ndjust the diff ferences is. not quite clear.
 It is inconceiyuoie- to tho adminiStra- ti6nathat therA should be renewal of hoe< s oa 11SajS SvenssuetAn coast and hofS putfin on Sf tl,b scrsws." no mat teri keW IT. Bowon's work shall turn out. so oSxfe HxG6o tribunal comes naturally ipf1 sight n sA port of safety. But to pla1e . case ,bk0rs the tribunal re- anlfes sthe iayinG 6o~n e certain basic pfopositions of n6akter6 to be arbitrated apleagreement on tn limitations % be pasced on the arbltraticn. and 1t ts dM- Acult to conjecture how aH hands can De Brought together on the compisx and different propositions Involved In an aroi' trsfion protocol.
 For instance one point which un- doubtedly would be very difElcuit to agree on would be the results of the present blockade and whether or not venesuefa might properly regard the damages in- dicted on her as ofkssts to the claims of the powers.
 Nr. Bowen, already looking ahead. has prepared Ions list of such injuries irs- nicted upon Venezuela and this Hst grows with every day's continuance of the blockade. but from the tone of the representatives of the allies here 1t is quite certain that they would resist to the utmost the presentation of any such offsets-
 A Hopeful Sign
 The European allies have not yet ans wercd Minister Bowens proposal made several days ago, that there shall be no preference of claims of Great Britain, Germany and Italy against venesuela over those of other nations In tne South American country. Minister Bowen thinks the delay should be conatrued in hope ful light on the ground that the delay In the answor Of hss~poNssnsstn<1fN4tesk they realize the importance of his po- sition in the matter and are giving the subject careful consideration
 He still expects favorably reply to his proposal and believes that the ques- tion at issue will be settled at Washing ton zefore himself, acting for Venezuela. and the representatives of the powers.
 1t was reported that an answer to Mir. Bowen's proposal had arrived in Wash ington but that report cannot be official ly confirmed. The answer, If received. will be transmitted to Bowen. If the ari- swer did arrive, the suspicion is that 1t was unfavorable to Mir Bowen's conten- ton and in view of his positive attitude in the matter was not presented to him but was withheld by the representatives of the allies in order that they might again impress upon their governments the importance of the question before submitting a final answer. It became known today that Minister Bowen had addressed to the representatives of all countries a communication which might in a measure be regarded as an ultima tum defining his position.
 Will Not Yield. v
 MT. Bowen declines absolutely to dis cuss the question but 1t is known that he said to the allies that If they persist ed in their determination to receive pref erental treatment in the matter of the settlement of the claims he would call together the other creditor nations having claims against Venezuela with view of their making a formal protest against the demands of those who participated in the block de. The effect of this would be that the other five creditor nations would be lined up against the three al- lied powers with the result that the set tlemen of the whole matter in all proba- bility might go to The Hague if it is to be settled at all This note 1t Is believed to be having It's effect in staying the final determination of the allned govern ments.
 Minister Bowen spent a good part of the afternoon at the State Department. where for a time he was in consultation with Secretary Hay. The main object of his visit was to refresh his memory in regard to a number of details affecting the claims of the allies. Before it was de- cided he should go to Washington, Min ister Bowen prepared with considerable care the entire case of Venezuela and forwarded 1t to the State Department from Caracas. The Washington govern ment therefore has on file full state ment regarding the Venezuelan dispute which will prove of considerable aid in the event that the United States in conn., mon with the other claimant powers is forced into the negotiations at Washing ton in order to protect It's interests.