Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19
Congress May Confer Author
ity on the President.
DISPUTE WITH CASTRO
Proposed to Uphold Dignity of the
United States.
AGGRESSIVE PROGRAM LIKELY
Resolution Drafted by Senator Gull
lom, Which, It is Thought, Both
Houses Will Adopt.

From a number OF conferences which
Chairman Cullom of the Senate commit
tee on foreign relations has had recently
with President Roosevelt and Secretary
Root It is now probable that before the
adjournment of the present session Of
Congress blanket authority will be. voted
to the President to proceed against Ven
ezuela in such manner as subsequent
events may require to uphold the dignity
Of the United States and protect the In
terests of American citizens. A resolu-
ton giving such authority to the Presi-
dent has been drafted by Senator Cullom
and approved by the President and Secre-
tary Root. 1t provides in general terms
that the President shall have the power to
deal with Venezuela In the matter Of ad-
jlsting the controversies with that coun-
try concerning wrongs done to American
citizens and corporations in Venezuela by
reason of the i'll treatment they have re-
ceived at the hands of President Castro.
To Demand Arbitration.
Under such authority the administra-
ton would again demand the submission
to arbitration Of the claims OF American
citizens and corporations against Vene-
zuela. The treaties on the subject OF gen.
eral arbitration and the use Of force In
the recovery Of debts ratified by the
Senate In the last few weeks, obligate the
United States to follow this line or pro-
cedure> On several occasions. as Is shown
by the correspondence between The state
Department and American Minister Rus-
sell, the American government has called
upon President Castro to arbitrate the
claims.
President Castro, as is made plain by
the correspondence, has placed all KINDS
oI,e nlo ev, I0 nf dtnlnnnAftH
ROTATIONS looking to arbitration. In the
very last representation made to Mr.. Rus
sell by J. de ]. Paul. the Venezuelan min
lister for foreign affairs, he said that Ine
government OF venezuela wouio view ~ ~
with satisfaction If the government OF the
United States would consider this (arbitra-
tiOn) question as closed.
II q resolution giving general authority
to President Roosevelt to proceed against
Venezuda as he sees ft is adopted by this
Congress. >and ii in that event President
Castro should continue az intractable 10
reason as he has been in the past. there
is no question that the American govern
ment would have the power to resort TO
force. Furthermore. the indicatlons are
that an aggressive program would be
adopted.
AdNninistration's Belief.
President Roosevelt believes that Castro
is trying to blur this government. Sec
retary Root believes that the dignity OF
the diplomatic branch of the government
has been trampled upon, and Senator Gull
lom and other members of the foreign re-
lations committee of the Senate believe.
to use the chairman's words, president
Castro needs spanking.
Undoubtedly any plan Of procedure
agreed upon by the Senate would be fol-
lowed by the House. A resolution giving
to the administration the authority to
deal with the situation II 1t secures the
approval of the Senate almost certainly
would be concurred in by the other
branch OF Congress, for 1t Is recognized
that the Senate Is in close touch with the
State Depar.elent on all matters affecting
the foreign policy of the government
The Senate committee on foreign rela-
tions will consider the Venezuelan corre-
spondence which was received in response
to the Lodge resolution when It meets
Wednesday. 1t is not likely that the
program suggested will be completed in
time to report on that day. but every
thing now points to an early agreement on
a plan which will give the administra-
ton free hand to act in such manner
as the situation may seem to demand.