Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-02-12
He Will
NOT. ACT
President Roosevelt
Declines to be
Arbitrator
Venezuelan Contrc-
vefsy Must Go
to the Hague
Its Decisions Viii
Naturally Garry
Great Weight

Washington, Feb. president
Roosevelt has declined to arbitrate the
question as to whether the allies shall
receive preferential treatment in the
settlement claims against Venezuela
or not. He reported his decision
about A o'clock yesterday afternoon
and instructed Secretary Hay to dis
patch a note at once advising the
British ambassador to that effect
The matter now will be referred to
The Hague tribunal. This will result
in Immediately raising the blockade
The administration, it is stated in Of
fetal circles, is unwilling to approve
the effort of the British government
to eliminate Mr.. Bowen from the ne
gotiatiOns and moreover the president
could not have accepted the invitation
of the allies even had he been so dis
posed without the consent Of the other
negotiator Mr.. Bowen, and this the
allies did not obtain or request in their
note of invitation to him.
Today the preliminaries with refer
ence to the signing of the protocol re-
ferring the matter to The Hague will
be considered. Immediately on re-
ceipt of Hays note the British am
bassador addressed a communication
to Mr.. Bowen, stating that he was suf-
fering from grippe and would be
obliged if Mr.. Bowen would call on
him. The Venezuelan envoy went at
once to the embassy where the
British ambassador explained that he
had been too ill to call for several
days and announced the arrival of his
protocol, which he was prepared to
submit to Mr.. Bowen for signature
Later the German minister, Herr Won
Sternburg, called on Mr.. Bowen and
announced the arrival of his protocol
1t developed last night that the two
protocols are to be signed by Mr.
Bowen, with each of the allies.
The first will provide for the refer
ence of the contention for preferential
treatment to The Hague, and the rails
ing of the blockade simultaneously
with the signing of this convention.
The condition preceded to the raising
1f +ho Ia will hn oil of I
namely that 80 per cent. of the Gus
toms receipts be set aside by the Ven
ezuelans for the satisfaction of the
creditors. The question as to whether
the allied powers shall receive prefer
entail treatment shall be referred to
The Hague; also that Venezuela shall
pay down to the allies $27,500 each as
an initial cash payment.
The second protocols are to cover
the manner of adjudicating the claims
of the creditors and the means of ad-
ministration OF the customs receipts
The claims of each will be settled by
a separate commission. In case OF
failure, it is agreed the king of Spain
shall appoint an arbitrator. In the
event of Venezuela defaulting pay
ment in thirty days, Belgium shall APP
point agents to take charge of the
customs and administer the payments
until the claims of all nations are
satisfied.
In administration and diplomatic
circles the reference to The Hague is
regarded as a victory for Mr.. Bowen,
as Venezuela thereby is enabled to re-
cover from the distressing effect of
the blockade before starting upon the
payment of her debts. The finding of
The Hague tribunal may not be hand
ed down for some months. The tri-
bunal will also decide the vital ques-
tons to the South American states
as to whether the blockades and bonn
bardments entitle the powers for pre-
ferential treatment at the hands of
their debtor. Coming from The Hague
it will establish a precedent, while
the decision on the point from Presi-
dent Roosevelt would have carried no
such weight as a decision of point
of international law. The effect of an
adverse finding by the president
therefore could not have prevented the
allied powers from repeating their
blockade next month if they desired,
whereas. an adverse verdict from The
Hague would add a new canon to the
law of nations and stop such a course
of practice completely. 1t was to
gain this principle. which necessarily
vitality effects not only the future of
Venezuela but other republics of this