The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-08-04
TRUE, BUT NOT DIPLOMATIC.

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TRUE, BUT NOT DIPLOMATIC.
International relationships with
Turkey and with Venezuela have had
many matters in common 1t Is per-
fectly apparent that they have caused
worry and dissatisfaction among the
powers out of all proportion to their
size Because of their position and
because of peculiar diplomatic condl-
lions, they have been guaranteed
against absorption by one or more of
the powers. The Monroe doctrine in
America has undoubtedly saved vene-
zuela on more than one occasion.
The doctrine of the balance OF the
powers has saved the country of the
Sick Man of Europe, Turkey The
present troubles with both countries
are only repetitions of what has hap
pened scores of times before and what
promises to happen scores of times
again, although there is some reason
to hope that the present changes In
the form OF Turkish government will
prove of permanent nature and will
completely make over that countr.
Already the press reports have re-
ferred to the general opinion that is
held everywhere, namely that Hol-
land will find the operation of spank
ing Castro much easier to talk about
than to accomplish, and that is Just
what almost every nation that has
had anything TO do with Abdul Hamid
has long since thought true of him.
There Is little reason to believe that
Holland wishes to give Castro more
than spanking, perhaps to make
him apologize Apologies are cheap,
yet they are humilatlng to one part.
and gratifying to the other 1t would
not seem that the Netherlands govern
ment Is contemplating thorough
thrashing by an armed conflict If II
has that in view, 1t has not gone about
It in diplomatic way, for there are
several European countries, besides
the United States, that should be con-
suited in that event They have not
been. AS d result of successful arbi-
tratlon on the part of our Minister
Bowen, Venezuela has been making
regular monthly payments on its for
eign debit for some years. A war with
The Hague would certainly result in
stopping these payments and thus
arousing the ire of number Of the
nations. This country would be spe-
clally concerned because of a possible
violation OF the Monroe doctrine.
There can be little doubt that Ven
ezuela is greatly handicapped, and has
been, for some years, by the man who
/ Is its president, Castro. So dictatorial-
I " does he hold the rens OF govern
ment that Venezuela and Castro are
to-day practically synonymous terms.
| Yet even II that Is true, still 1t was
no reason for the Dutch minister, NJ.
I DeReus, to openly call attention to
that fact in letter sent home, pub
lished, and widely distributed Even
IL President Castro had wronged the
Hague government and the Dutch
people, 1t was not the place of Minis
ter De Reus to say harsh things of
him for publication. BY doing SO he
made himself persona non grata,
'The system Of government (slnce
1890" he WI o, 'of the present al
most dictatoral ruling president,
which IS economical for the creating
and afterwards always for the annul-
ment of monopolies through all kinds
of subtletes has very nearly ruined
the country" The recall OF foreign
ministers has been asked upon less
provocation than this the Venezuelan
government points out very truly The
incident points to the fact that there
are some things, no matter how true
that are better whispered than pub
lished, or even better left unsaid at all
than whispered, especially with for
eign ministers 1t may be hoped the
whole trouble will blow over,