New-York tribune., 1912-02-23


dent between Colombia and the United
States is thus closed. Colombia, 1t con-
tinues, will maintain her international pol
icy.
Washington. Feb. 22-The only concern
OF the State Department on being Informed
OF the recall OF the Colombian minister
was that Il should be thoroughly under
stood that the department had not directly
or indirectly suggested this course, which.
consequently, appears TO have been purely
voluntary on the part OF the Colombian
government.
The department has all along regarded
General Ospina's utterances as purely per-
sonal. thereby accepting his own definition
OF his note. and. as he had been invited TO
express his opinion on the expediency OF
Secretary Knox's visit. there could be no
official ground for complaint on the part or
the department. But apparently II was an
other matter with the Colombian govern
| ment. The United States has had nothing
! to do with any disciplinary measure the
Bogota Foreign once adopted.
It is not expected that General Ospina's
recall will In any way affect the status OF
MIR. Dubois, the American Minister 10 Co
lombia, who is said to have established
cordial and satisfactory relations with the
Colombians
Minister'S Course in Doubt.
Just how the State Department will be
officially informed OF General Ospina's re-
call is a matter OF conjecture. II Is scarce
ly expected that the minister will be put in
the embarrassing position OF being required
| In hts Letters nf recall n tho
State Department. In the ordinary course
| Of affairs he would quietly withdraw from
Washington and permit his successor to
present the official letters In connection
with his own credentials as Colombian MIN
| ister. Meanwhile, Minister Dubois is ex-
pected TO advise the department officially
OF what has taken place.
normal outcome OF the present situa-
ton would be the extension by the Colon
bian government Of formal invitation to
! Secretary Knox 10 visit Cartagena, accord
| ing to the terms of the original itinerary Of
| the Secretary's Central and South Ameri-
can tour In that case the Invitation prob
| ably will be transmitted through Mr.. Du-
| bos. While the delay by adverse weather
! OF Secretary Knox's departure from Florida
| on :he cruiser Washington will enable him
10 receive notice before he sails Of the
latest developments In tho Colombian situa-
! ton, 1t is regarded as doubtful whether he
| will feel able now to change his plans
again to accept an invitation to visit Co
| lombia. IT is reasonably certain that he
will not do so unless there is every assur-
ance that his arrival in Cartagena will not
| lead to an unpleasant incident.
| IL has been suggested that General Os-
pima, who must have calculated the possible
result Of his letter 10 the State Depart
ment, is relying on a large element among
! the Colombian people to support him. In
diplomatic circles some officials say that
| General Ospina knew that he was subject
J ing himself to the dislike OF the State De-
! partment as well as his own government,
! so far as they officially were concerned, out
he was willing to sacrifice his position to
| bring the claims OF Colombia before the
world once more in an emphatic manner
General Ospina is a man Of independent
means and Is said to have suffered personal
loss through the acquisition of the Canal
Zone by the United States. lie believes
that he was rejecting popular sentiment by
| his action here.
on February IS General Osplna sent let
ter to Acting Secretary Huntington Wilson
! in which he said that, speaking without
knowledge OF the views OF his government,
| he thought that there was reason for be-
| IlIeying that the visit of Secretary Knox
might be considered 'inopportune," owing
| to the fact that Colombia found herself
placed by the United States I'm an excep-
| tional position as the only member of the
numerous family Of Independent nations to
which. despite It's constant demands, tho
United States refuses to submit to arbitra-
| ton questions referring exclusively 10 the
Interpretation of public treaties and the
compliance with obligations imposed by the
universally accepted principles OF interna-
tIonal law on all civilized nations In their
relations one with another" This was
taken TO mean that Colombia was smarting
under ineffectual attempts to obtain arbi-
traton of the Canal Zone differences with
the United States
Paris. Feb 22-Antonlo JimineZ charge
d'affaires of Panama In France, said to-
day that Secretary Knox was certain to re-
ceiye a hospitable and warm welcome In
Panama and generally throughout the
Latin republics of America. His visit
would be another token that the United
states was extending-a hand Of friendship
10 its sister republics.
CRUISER READY FOR KNOX