Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-22
THE ALLIED
POWERS WIN
At 1H( HAGUE
Arbitration Tribunal Decides
That Claims of Blockading
Powers Are Preferential
THE DECISION is UNANIMOUS
Great Britain, Germany and Italy win
be Enabled to Claim Thirty Per Cent
Of the Customs Duties Collected as
Two Venezuelan Port. - cist Of the
Decision.

The Hague. Feb. e2.-The arbitration
tribunal. which has been CONSIDERING.
the claims Of the blockading powers
for preferential treatment OF their
claims against Venezuela, has decided
unanimously that the three blockading
powers. Great Britain. Germany and
italy. have a right to the preference Of
30 per cent of the customs duties az
Guaira and Puerto Cabello. litigants to-
gay their own costs in the procedure
and divide equally the costs OF the tri-
bunal. The United States is commits
stoned to carry out the decision Of the
tribunal within three months.
In giving judgment the tribunal
points out that 1t has been guided ~ I
the international law and equity Of the
case and that the protocols signed at
Washington since Feb. i3. 1903. ana
particularly the protocol of May q,
whereof the obligatory nature can nos
be doubtful. form the legal basis OF its
sentence: that the tribunal Is not COM
petent to question the Jurisdiction Of
the mixed commissions at Caracas nor.
to judge their action or the character
Of the warlike operation OF the hlcck-
aiding powers nor to decide If the thres
lbicchadinR powers exhausteSaV M
sciflc means to = sesssisy
employing force. sSinal decides
that Il Is only In a position to certify
that since 1901 Venezuela refused arbl.
tration. proposed on several occasions.
by Germany and Great Britain; that
after the war no formal treaty OF psacs
was concluded: that the operations of
the blockaders were stopped before
they had received satisfaction for an
their claims and that the question OF
preferential treatment was Submitted
to arbitration.
The tribunal declares Il found and
recognized in these facts precious evi-
dence in favor OF the great principal Of
arbitration in all phases OF internauon-
al conflict. In adhering to the pro-
tocols the blockaders could not have
intended 10 renounce their acquired
rights, nor their privileged de facto
position.
, Venezuela had recognized in principle
the well foundedness OF their claims.
while II had not recognized those OF the
nom blockading powers, and untir the
end of January 1908 made mot the
slightest protest against the claim for
preferential treatment. Thruout tho
diplomatic negotiations Venezuela con.
and neutrals. These latter, not having
protested against the claims for prefer
ence OF the blockading powers either at
the time the war stopped. nor immed.
lately after signature OF the protocol
Of February 1S. Venezuela only agreed
in respect to the allied powers 10 OFFER
special guarantees. for the fulfliment
of it's engagements. The good faith
WHICH should direct international re.
lations imposes the duty on the tri-
bunal of declaring that the words
"all claims employed by Venezuela IN
the negotiations with the allied powers
could relate only to the later powers.
Neutrals could in some respects profit
by circumstances created by the oper-
ations of war without acquiring new
rights, rights already acquired remain-
ing absolutely intact.