The San Francisco call., 1908-07-10
VENEZUELA
AMERICA END
ALL RELATIONS
Senor VelOz, Charge d'Affairs,
Closes Legation in WASH
ington
War Between Countries Not
Feared and Trade Will
Probably Continue
Break the elimination of
Strained Feelings for
Several Months

matte relations between America and
Venezuela that have existed uninter-
ruptedly for more than half a century,
though in recent years severely
strained, were today completely sew
cred. At $3.50 o'clock this afternoon
Senior VeIOz GOiticOa, the Venezuelan
charge d'affaires, called at the state de-
partment by appointment to present to
acting Secretary Bacon notice from his
government that he was to quit his post
here, closing up the Venezuelan lega-
tion in Washington and repairing forth
with TO Venezuela.
The charge executed his mission pune
tiliously. In few minutes talk he ex-
plained TO the acting secretary that the
action of the state department in with
drawing Jacob Sleeper, the American
charge, from Caracas and in closing up
its legation there made it necessary for
his government to take similar action
in the case of its legation in Washing
ton. Therefore he was leaving the capt.
tai at the earliest moment that he could
arrange his domestic affairs to do so,
which will be tomorrow, and will pro-
ceed directly to New York, there to take
passage of Venezuela on Saturday.
EXPRESS REGRET 1T DEPARTURE
Taking leave of acting Secretary Ba-
con and accepting the suggestion that
he communicate in writing to Secretary
Root the direction of his government in
this matter, Senor Veloz paid hasty
calls upon Assistant Secretaries Adee
and Huntington Wilson and other Of
ficials of the state department, whom
he has long and intimately known.
n f0 ha ft1ftt - fS
by officials who followed closely the de-
velopments in the Venezuelan matter
that there is not the slightest danger of
war. Rather will the situation resem-
bic that following the rupture of diplo-
matte relations between France and
Venezuela, for instance, where legations
were closed on both sides and all official
relations terminated, while trade be-
tween the two countries continued and
Frenchman came to Venezuela and rich
Venezuelans made their annual pill
grimages to Paris as If nothing had
occurred. The history of these episodes
in the case of Venezuela is very much
alike.
The feeling of resentment bred by
the rupture gradually becomes less
acute and at the proper moment a
friendly third party steps In and brings
about restoration Of amicable relations.
1t is even possible in our own case
that the process may be more rapid
than usual for two reasons. In the
first place there must be some limit to
the number of powers from which
Venezuela can safely separate herself,
and with termination of her relations
with America today she has added a
very potent force to the opposition. In
the second place there is some ground
for the belief that President Castro
has been acting in a half light; that
for some reason he has not been in
possession of all of the facts in the
case of the controversy with the United
States, or if he has, then he has been
completely misled as to the motives
which have impelled Secretary Root to
request the Venezuelan government to
join America in having recourse to
arbitration.
REFUSED TO GIVE REDRESS
The reason for the withdrawal of
the American legation from Caracas
arose from the persistent refusal of
Venezuela to give redress for the gov
ernmental action by which all Ameri-
can interests in Venezuela were either
destroyed or confscated or to submit
the claims of American citizens to arbi-
tration.
President Roosevelt determined to
send the whole correspondence bearing
upon the claims and showing the ef-
forts made by the United States to
have them arbitrated to congress. the
president and Secretary Root deeming
it best to leave to that body the de-
termination of the question of what if
anything, should be done by this gov
ernment to bring Castro to terms.
Long before the recent session closed.
however, it was evident that the SEN
ate would not initiate any action. al
though Mr.. Root appeared before the
committee on foreign relations repeat
edly to discuss the situation.
Practically the next step was the
departure late in April of American
Minister Russell from Caracas on a so
day leave of absence. Mr.. Sleeper was
left in charge of the American lega-
ton, an incident which caused con
siderable comment because the strained
relations existing between the United
States and Venezuela, caused by the
opening of the mail of the men on the
cruiser Tacoma by the officials of the
La Guayra postofice. Castro's reply was
that it had been done inadvertently.
and this reply appeared to be satisfac-
tory to the American government; also
some feeling was evinced over the man
ner In which President Castro had
stated the case. Then followed the re-
call OF the American minister from
Venezuela.