The Cairo bulletin., 1908-03-06
WAR CLOUDS ON
CLEAR HORIZON
piPLCMATtO RELATIONS WITH
VENEZUELA MAY TERMINATE
ANY MOMENT.
SITUATION IS SINISTER
All In Hands Of Con9ress--Venezueian an
Representative is Absent From
Meeting Of Fore;rn Az
fairs Committee.

WdSHlnbIOH, MarCn D. Very ugly
was the tcrsa way In which the state
~ department defined the Venezuela sit
ration today.
Il Conditions have reached pc ini
Iwhere diplomatic relations between
the two countries may be terminated
, any day.
In an important meeting of the
bureau of American republics today,
Imesided over by president John Bar
Irett the representative of Venezuela
/ failed tn attend.
There was a meeting Of the senate
foreign relations committee this after
noon, lasting until late In the day.
BIT nothing was annca:.cef.
The members of the administration
who are handling the extremely deli
cate situation make no pretense of
hiding the gravity OF the situation and
| declare that on Castro can be placed
| the blame for the crisis. 1t is said
| that Castro has been impatient, die
| tatorial, insulting and unwilling to dis
Guess the subject with judicial spirit.
1 fAN PbJNNt Va bOuaS tHEGllLE Dl
the representatives of the Latin re-
pubics was to drah u memorial of an
preciaticn for the services of Secre.
t&ry Of State Root in welding the
South American republics and their
mighty sister closer together. The
absence of the Venezuela representa-
tive was therefore, all the more
marked.
The arrogance and truenlence5 .nf
Castro It Ii said. has made the usual
diplomatic anti ipation extremely diff |
fienlt.
Situation is Sinister.
If the press could but read the |
confidential reports in the hands of |
the secretary of state" declared a
member Of the state department to-
day, "the difficulty under which we
are operating would be at once appar-
ent. The whole thing has assumed
an ugly and sinister aspect"
As the situation stands today the
president has transferred the job Of
welding the big stick" to congress.
II is pointed out that the president
would be severely criticised is he as
sumed to handle the situation while
congress is in sesirs.
The navy, state and war depart,
ments today hummed with the eventu-
alities in this Venezuelan imbroglio.
II Is admitted freely that Castro has
created an impasse walch the presi-
dent would solve in a minute if con J
sress were not in session. He has
In this instance. however. adopted the
method of getting the advice of con 8
eress ON a matter. one result of which
may be the declaration of war against
he South American Republic.
Administrators Policy.
The administration policy In the az
fair has been outlined. to its intimate / H
friends in congress. Briefly. it Is a
that the correspondence between Cas-, A
tro and the state department shall be n
placed before the senate. In that way r
4 viii become pubic, debates will =,
'ollow and public sentiment viii be =
ested Should public sentiment ap-
prove the application OF the army and !,
~ 10 nbhffnis lilt itftSlutnl VIII
iend a message to congress dealing
With the subject ana urging armed In ,
ervention q
Should IT be shown to congress, q
lowever. that the army and navy are g
@ be rsed TO bolster up Indefensible q
laIms. whether Of the asphalt trust n
n others. and that Castro Is beingi
imposed upon, public sentiment win 4
cree another attitude and the "eause 4
{ war" viii be sent back to Secretary
loot TO be embalmed in his portfolio
II rs known that the navy and army "
ave been asked for reports. Two of
he reports discussed officially have
cen for some time IN the archives OF
he bureau Of military intelligence.
hey were prepared by Capts. Muir
by and Humphreys. 4. s. A. who -
iade a tour OF Venezuela and pre- 70
ared typographical maps. showing IA
cads. mountain passes and ranges of %
MS. with special reference 10 the to
ieans Of acoess from the coast to the Il
lterior. These reports are. OF course. dc
ii
Prepared.
II there sh0rld be 4 demonstration as
BE- navy would act first Any overt. in. IN
1lent act by Presiden; Castro would TO
emand that the government send a q,
luadrnn n IL Gnayara OF . part of u.
to La Guavara and a part TO Puerto en-
abello. There are large United States =,
Iterests both persoIai and ~ prop
-ty. in Venezuela. vaica would have
} be guarded even in a less acute
suse Of quarrel t1at the nossible
sudlBg of bis passports to Minister
usseil BY President Castro. =.
The navy has aireaGy acted as II II
n some puemonition of demands