Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-02-05
PROPOSITIONS MADE.
The Allies Likely to Agree About
Their venezuelan Claims.
The CONTENTION MADE BY FRANCE.
NJ. f3owen Has Been Assured That the
Representatives Of the Allies VIII Give
Him FINAL Answer at the Earliest
Possible Moment

washington, req. S.-FTOposlViVhi
involving o compromise Of the allied
powers contention for preferential
treatment In the settlement Of theiI
claims against Venezuela have beer
submitted to the governments OF
Great Britain, Germany and Italy by
their representatives at Washington
and while no answers have been re-
ceived as yet, there il reason for the
belief that the allies will see way
to accept the latest proposition.
This compromise has been suggested
by one Of the representatives of the
allies here and, while it has not
formally received the Endorsement OF
Minister Bowen, 1t Ia felt that he will
not enter serious objection to Its
adoption provided the United States
and the other claimant nations out
side the alliance can be convinced
that their own interests In Venezuela
will not be substantially injured by
yielding to q plan which seems to Of
fer o solution of the present serious
hitch in the Washington negotiations.
The details of the proposition now
under consideration by the three al
lied nations are not obtainable, but In
general yay it is understood to be
modification Of the allies conten-
ton that they be recognized as Ven
ezuela's preferred claimants in the
payment Of the indemnity. The plan
suggested provides that for q short
period, perhaps six months or a year,
Great Britain, Germany and Italy
shall receive exclusively 80 per cent.
Of the customs receipts Of the ports
of Porto Cabello and La Guaira and
that at the end Of this period, the ex-
act length Of which is yet open to de-
cision, all the claimant nations be
placed on the same footing and at the
expiration Of that time the 30 per
cent. Of the receipts Of these two
ports be divided among all the claim
ant nations in ratio based ON the
amount Of each nations claim.
The plan is regarded as compro-
mise which will enable the allies to
withdraw their ships from Venezue-
Ian waters without serious loss of
PRESTIGE
Whether the claimant nations out
side the tripartite agreement will as
sent to this scheme is not yet known.
The British ambassador called by
on Secretary Hay yes
terday afternoon at two o'clock and
IL is believed that some such plan as
this was under discussion, the Brit
lsh ambassador wishing to acquaint
himself with the exact attitude Of the
United States regarding Lord Lans-
downe's contention for preferential
agreement for the allies.
France has 1t in her power to con-
tinue the present deadlock in the
negotiations, for while
the other unallied claimants have
against Venezuela GER
tain unadjusted claims, all of the
French claims are in a very forward
state.
France contends that so far from
assisting her in the collection of her
Venezuelan claimv, the blockade II
has hampered her In rnat IL
has closed all the Venezuelan ports
10 commerce and has prevented for
the time being the collection of the
10 per cent. Of the receipts pledged
her by treaty,
II is the hope Of the representa- |
lives of the allies at Washington that
in case their governments accept In
principle the kind of compromise sug-
rested they will not insist that the |
period for preferential payments be
made so long as to prevent its accept
ance by the other claimant nations.
Mr.. Bowen has been assured that
he representatives of the allies here
will give him a final answer at the
sarliest possible moment. Meantime
exchanges are still in progress be-
tween the allied governments and
heir respective embassies here in the
,ffort to agree on plan of settle
nent that will be acceptable at once
% Venezuela and to the octagonal al
lance of France, Belgium, Spain,
Holland. Norway, Sweden
ma tha TYnikad StaAaa
nY uwcvn INTO Tur prvRp