The Detroit times., 1908-12-26
GAsTR0' SD0OMWAS
PRONOUNCED BY
ROOSEVELT
GERMAN DESIGNS ON PANAMA
CANAL 6ALkED, SAYS ALFRED
HENRY LEwis-ooMEZ HAS
4 SUPPORT OF UNITED STATES.
BY ALFRED HENRY LEWIS.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 26.-More or
less can be heard concerning the
American share in the Venezuelan
shakeup. Our diplomats at the state
department-they. by the way, call It
s.foreign Cffice," after the best manner
of the English-make specially
when the business is named of leer
and shrug and wink and a general
deep-sea muteness that have all the
wise effect which belongs with tree
1ul OF owls. IL emphasizes their dig
nifty and gives you the impression that,
were they TO tell all they know. II
would capsize the ship and lay tho
bountry on its beam ends.
The hollow truth Is that outside ~
Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr. Root. and, per
haps. code officer or two. no one
Knows just what. automatically speak
@g, we have been about.
Two theories obtain. One has Il
that Castro, when he went 10 Europe,
took a trunk full OF money and never
Intended TO come back. The other is
hat he went TO Europe on the under
band invitation OF Germany. who. aside
Dom q long-standing Willingness 10
annoy this country in every safely Sc
pFet way. would not be unwilling to
have a friend, If not a foothold. IN ore
10 the South American countries as
Mar as may be 10 the Panama canal.
(, It was-say these wise folks-in re-
Aponse To this beer-and-pretzel state
Utaft that Castro went TO Germany and
began arranging for Mausers and
Erupp guns. go v--.
{ Mr.. Roosevelt. knowing these things,
nth q cunning exceeding that Ct
I3ther the kaiser or Castro. gave
Homer the nod, precipitated coup
Bsetat and slammed and locked the
venezuelan gate behind the absent
kun-buying Castro. Now, our war
Bhips have started for the south. Cas-
yo will not be permitted TO return. and
Germany must begin over again in her
6iforts to pitch camp in the neighbor
hood Of the canal
Mr.. Roosevelt is gaining laurels in
NE local diplomatic mind in precise
proportion as the latter tale finds cir.
eulation and acceptance. He is being
looked upon as a fashion of American
Bismarck who combines fertility with
q prompt genius for striking when the
iron Is hot.
U. s. Position improved.
Certainly, our own position In the
tangle has been vastly improved. Cas-
tro hated us and held us as an eEemy.
Gomez is first of all. our friend. Mean
while Holland has withdrawn her
boats. while we take her place On
blockade.
This boat-shift satisfies sensitive
ones, bit alarmed as TO the integrity
M fsuc rfrtn u-h oh
illumination was supposed 10 have
been given an invidious though trifiing
slant by the presence of Dutch war
boats-guns shotted, decks cleared.
tunnels blackly pouring smoke-in
these western seas. Recent action has
restored the Monrc Doctrine in the
minds OF these to an even keel and re.
covered 1t from what they believed
to be a perilous list.
As for Castro personally, no one
cares the value OF a cigarette. He was
bumptious. disorderly, dishonest,
wfne-bibber. always looking for
trouble, always flying from e when
found. Hating peace. fearing war, with
q word that was no better than a rope
Of sand, he has in every fashion com
posite or truculent mendacity and COW.
ardice been doing his best for years 10
Kick himself out OF bed. He has at
last succeeded and everybody Is glad
Now he may find a new bed or walk
1he desolate floor, and our warships
hre pointed southwark, full steam
head, to see that his shall be SO.
No; there will be no war. Vene-
nuela's too Insignificant and we're too
hig--from every standpoint Of Europe.
venezuela--just grazing the red-hot
Duuator on the south-has about 450,-
boo square miles, and fewer than q
200, 900 people, only one In one hun
tred of whom Is white. The others
Ire an unsatisfactory blend Of Span