Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-31
THE HAGUE TRlsuNAL
VIII Have to Settle Trouble NJ Mr..
Bowen Cannot.

Washington, Jan. S0.--If Mr.. Bowen
cannot adjust the claims with the al.
lies the purpose is to have The Hague
arbitration tribunal pass on them. Bur
just how the Venezuelan question is to
get before The Hague in the event cf
Mr. Bowen's failure to adjust the DIFF
ferences Is not quite clear. 1t is In
conceivable to the administration that
there should be renewal of hostilities
on the Venezuelan coast and more
putting on of the screws" no matter
how Mr.. Bowen's work shall turn out
So The Hague tribunal comes natll-
rally into sight as a port of safety. But
to place case before the tribunal re-
quires the laying down Of certain basic
propositions of matters to be arbitrated
and agreement on the limitations 10 he
placed on the arbitration and 1t js DIFF
ficult to conjecture how all hands can
be brought together on the complex
and difficult propositions involved in
an arbitration protocol.
For instance. one point which m
doubtedly would be very difficult to
agree on would be the results Of the
present blockade and whether or not
Venezuela might properly regard the
damages inflicted on her as offsets to
the claims of the powers. Mr.. Bowen
already looking head has prepared a
long list of such injuries inflicted upon
venezuela and this list grows with
every days continuance Of the block
AIDE, but from the tone of the repre-
sentatives of the allies here 1t is quite
certain that they would resist to the
utmost the presentation of any such
Offsets
Baron Gavers, the minister of The
Netherlands, called at the state de-
partment, today, and talked over the
Venezuelan situation with Secretary
Hay from the standpoint Of the unal-
lied claimant nations. Baron Geyers
was assured by Minister Bowen that
the claims of The Netherlands will be
duly cared for and that as soon as the
blockading powers have withdrawn the
ships he will take up the claims of
Holland. ZEE
The British ambassador here has sent.
a long eablegram to Lord I.ansdown.
stating what may be expected in case
Great britain and her two allies in
sist on the preferential treatment for
the powers blockading Venezuelan
ports. The text of the cablegram can
not be published, but it Informed the
British foreign Office that Minister
Bowen, in the event of refusal of his
proposition, would call upon the repre-
sentatves of the other claimant powers
in Washington and state to them that
Venezuela was being forced by the
triple alliance to yield to a plan which
would seriously affect the interests of
France, Belgium, Norway and Sweden,
Spain. Denmark, Holland and the
United States.
There is reason to believe the French
government has sounded the United
States government to learn how much
in common there may be between their
interests in Venezuela. 1t is said that
there is Il strong resemblance between
the claims of the two nations--perhap
enough TO link them together in resis-
lance to any policy on the part of the
allies, Which would tend to destroy or
impair those interests.
Minister Bowen spent good part of
the afternoon at the state department.
where for a time, he was in consulta-
ton with Secretary Hay. The main
object of his visit was to refresh his
memory in regard to number of de-
tails affecting the claims of the allies
It appears that before it was decided
he should come to Washington Mr.
Bowen prepared with considerable care
the entire case of Venezuela and for
warded it to the state department from
the legation in Caracas. The WASH
ington government therefore has on
file full statement regarding the
dispute which will prove of
aid in the event that the
United States in common with the
other claimant powers is forced into
negotiations at Washington in order to
protect it's interests.