Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-27
CLEAR. CRISP AND CLEAN
VENEZUELA

LTHOUGH President Roosevelt
H cannot constitutionally declare
"A war against Venezuela, and al
though legislative authority would be
required for such campaign, it is
nainfully evident that deliberate efforts
have been made to stir up strife be-
tween the United States and that coun-
try and to make it appear that the
case of a grasping trust was the case
of the people of the United States. 1t
cannot be demonstrated that the as
phalt trust has helped our nation. 1t
cannot be demonstrated that in its
commercial invasion of Venezuela it
had any but mercenary motives. 1t
cannot be demonstrated that its pro-
moters were not mere money grubbers,
who sought to obtain valuable con-
cession at a comparatively small price,
then. having created an industry, re-
fused to conform to the customs of the
country in which it was conducted,
and after being roughly dealt with
endeavored to create in the United
States the impression that they were
the victims of an unscrupulous Venez-
uelan governmental policy. If Venez-
uela should show hostility to the
United States without reason it would
be the most unprincipled of republics.
Twice within fifteen years the govern
ment of the United States has gone
to the assistance of Venezuela when
it needed assistance. During President
Clevelands second term, when Great
Britain was threatening to encroach
on Venezuelan territory (by way of
collecting a bad debit. Cleveland sent a
message to congress which had the
effect of referring the controversy to
the monarch of Holland for impartial
adjudication. Several years later, when
the allied powers were threatening
blockade of Venezuelan ports to COM
pei payment of monetary obligations,
the United States, through Minister
Bowen, stepped in and refused to allow
the powers to establish a precedent of
collecting debts with warships. The
Venezuelans have been singularly un-
grateful. In that respect wherein do
ers which have been helped by Uncle
Sam? No nation is under such great
direct obligations to the United States
as Japan. Is Japan grateful? In the
bright lexicon of Dai Nippon there is
no such word as gratitude.
Other instances might be cited to
show that Venezuela in her ungracious
attitude toward the government and
citizens of the United States is be-
traying a weakness and a failing COM
mon to frail human nature. But in
gratitude is not a recognizable casus
belli. Neither is business knavery. The
United States is not without schemers
and tricksteTs. They have not hesi-
tated to loot their own land. Why
should they have any scruples about
pirating or exploiting foreign coun-
try? If the Venezuelans have been
guilty of injustice toward American
citizens the use of armed force to
threaten or coerce the defender would
be justified by the manners and Gus
toms of our enlightened age. But if
Venezuelans have been guilty only of
discovering that a trust has been
formed for the purpose of stealing one
of the most lucrative industries of the
republic. then let the United States
be careful lest innocent blood should
be shed in an unholy cause. We have
q suggestion to make, and hope Presi
dent Roosevelt and the war depart
ment will consider it favorably. If the
asphalt trust is determined to make
war on Venezuela let it go ahead. Let
the officers of the asphalt trust be the
officers of the asphalt army. Let the
trust create an asphalt navy and have
an asphalt campaign with magnates at
the front to bear the brunt of war.
Sooner or later the trusts. if un-
checked, will hoist their own flags and
maintain their own armies and navies.
Meanwhile the United States must not
be dragged into their dirty money
quarrels.