The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-31
The French Method,

For a considerable length of time France
pressed it's claims against Venezuela. and
went to the extent OF breaking off all
diplomatic intercourse. Its claims, by the
way, are much greater and much more
Just than any Of those proffered by Great
Britain and Germany. ! ..a j. I've.
France, however, did not send any war
ships and was not guilty Of bullying &C
tion.. 1t, proceeded along ordinary diplo-
matte lines and recently secured the ne
provided that there should be an equita-
BILE arrangement made for the payment
Of the French claims. This payment was
proceeding in a perfectly satisfactory
manner when the present extraordinary
triple alliance was formed Great Brit
ain, Germany and Italy resorted to force.
They are still maintaining a blockade from
which the United States is the greatest
sufferer, beca use the United, States trade
with Venezuela, Is greater than that Of
Great Britain and Germany combined.
The United States Claims.
This country also has claims against
Venezuela. There are, in addition. two
vast American corporations which are
fighting for the control of the asphalt
trade and each Of which has interests in
Venezuela far greater than that of any
other industry in the world
Diplomats and statesmen here readily
Britain, Germany and Italy that they
should be paid in full before France and
the United States can receive penny
necessarily and must force the latter two
in the direction of a combination which,
when opposed to the triple alliance al
ready existing, may bring about mo-
| mentous events.
The Alliance With France. &c..
The possibility of an alliance between
the United States and France is actually
being discussed in all seriousness by level
headed men. A year ago talk of
European alliances would have provoked
a shudder or a laugh in congress-, but
statesmen here have swiftly realized the
fact that the concert Of action between
Great Britain, Germany, and Italy was
| naanifestly directed solely against the
| United States because each one Of the
nations could have coerced or done
| Venezuela separately, and France already
| had demonstrated that a peaceable col
| lection Of just claims was possible. :
| Russia Might Come In.
Should any such coalition be organized
there would be an immediate addition tt
! the. partnership between France and the
! United States. There is at this time 8
| close alliance between the republic OIL
France and the monorchy Of Russia, while
! the government of the car has at the
/
Of the United States. 49,. -. ... T. -. . =
With these three great world powers
1 united as opposed to Great Britain aI16
Germany, the result scarcely could be
! doubted, although as a matter Of course
there would be result at all until the
| close of a worldwide war, with years o!
strife and a vast agony Of desolation.
49,. -, Result Of War. 49,:
Those who are studying the extremely
significant lining up of the nations to-day
believe that the result of such wal
| would be, first, the complete isolation Of
the German empire, and, next, the dis.
memberment Of the British empire
/ through the advance of Russia on tt
Constantinople and India, practically Co
incident with the absorption Of Canada
by the United States.
Possibly the most significant indication
| Of the seriousness of the situation
| brought about by the continued refusa
i Of the allies to listen to the extremely
reasonable concessions of Venezuela lie.
in the fact that public men here in Wash
ington seem to be ready to consider tn,
| possibility Of an immediate alliance will
| France, bearing in mind at the same tim,
the fact that If Great Britain and Ger
many persist in opposing the United
4 States, the result must necessarily be TIL,
addition of Russia to the Franco Ameri
can concert of action.