Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-27
RAISE BLOCKADE WEDNESDAY.
Minister Bowen Predicts That Allies
Will Take Formal Action at Once.

Ht0loCor Bowen 6VOolCS1 sVdS NIsSS
Will Take Formal Action at Once.
washington. Jan. 27.-By Wednesday
the Venezuela blockade will be lifted.
This Is the confident prediction of Min
lister Bowen, who is conducting the me-
Eotiations TOR Venezuela with the al
lied European powers. Mr.. Bowen has
been informed Indirectly and unofficial
", but thru sources entirely reliable,
that the reply Of Great Britain is fa-
vorable.
Much Importance is attached to the
action of Great Britain in giving this
informal acceptance OF Venezdeia's
Doffer It is taken In official and diplo-
matte circles as assuring favorable
action by Germany and Italy. The
three powers are acting jointly in the
Venezuela matter, and Great Britain
would not therefore decide upon a re-
ply that would be unacceptable to Ger
many and Italy.
It is expected that the formal joint
acceptance Of the allied powers will be
handed Minister Bowen today This
belief is entertained at the embassies,
OF the three powers.
AS soon as Venezuela's guarantees
are accepted and the preliminary steps
taken. the blockade will be lifted and
the danger OF international complica-
tions removed. Today is Emperor Will
Hams birthday. and he is probably re-
serving the acceptance OF Venezuela's s
advances as fitting recognition of
the occasion.
The most interesting news In Wash
ington was OF Germany's voluntary
offer Of an explanation of the lombard
ment to the United States government.
BY some officials this explanation is
loked upon as a backdown or surrender,
but the state department does not hold
that view. At the same time the pres
ident and Secretary Hay make no con-
cealment OF their delight at receipt
Of this assurance that Germany is not
preparing to push matters high-hand-
edly in Venezuela.
A foreign minister, not particularly
friendly to Germany. made the follow
Ing comment:
For 8 time 1t looked as If the kaiser
was wholly Indifferent to the public
opinion OF the world. Now we see that he
Is not; that he is very anxious as to
what the world shall think of his oper-
ations, and that he is particularly anx
ious about the opinion Of America. 1t
is a good sign"
The telegram from the German chan
cellor to Count Quadt, which was made
the basis of Count Quadt's explanation
rendered to Secretary Hay. reads in
part as follows:
'"The fire was opened by the Venezue-
Ian fort. when the Panther in prope,
execution of blockade measures was
about to pass the bar and enter the
lagoon. No American or English ad-
snira1 would have acted differently from
the German commodore. They certain
~ would have prevented in like manner
the possibility of a repetition of such
an attack on part of the blockading
squadron"
"The responsibility for the occurrence
rests on the person who gave orders to
IRE on the Panther The Venezuelan
decree, issued for the purpose of cir
eumventing the effect of the blockade,
BY Facilitating the admission of goods
Aded territory, was the reason that the
Panther had to enter the lagoon to stop
the contraband ships.
'Interna tional law. is clearly on the
side OF the German squadron. The de-
lay In transmitting the German official
reports from Maracaibo, which was un-
avoidable for technical reasons, is no
justification that any feeling should
arise against Germany on account of
false reports. The American people
should, therefore, in view of the true
state of affairs, recognize that 1t has
been misled.
1T is possible that the time for the
attack of the Venezuelan commander
on the Panther may have been inten-