The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1912-02-19
SLAP Is GIVEN
UNITED STATES
BY COLOMBIAN
Secretary Knox Informed His
Proposed Visit Might Be
Most UnwelcOme
Minister'S Suggestions Regarded
as Personal Insult and he
May Be Recalled

ASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-A grave
AI diplomatic situation between
the United States and Colom-
bia has been precipitated by
the publication of letter which Senior
Pedro Mel Ospina. the Columbian min
lister, has written to Acting Secretary
Huntington Wilson of the state depart
ment. suggesting that it might be in
opportune'' for Secretary Knox to visit
Colombia on his tour of Central Amer
lea
The Colombian minister. first draw
ing attention to the fact that the views
are his own and not officially those of
his government. seriously criticises the
United States for not submitting to
arbitration the differences with Colom-
bia growing out of this governments
acquisition of the Panama canal zone.
Insult Is Resented
Inasmuch as the letter admittedly is
the personal expression of the minister,
il was received at the stat department
as A personal insult to this government.
No action has been taken. but the in
cident is known to have stirred officials
Of the United States to such an extent
that the recall of the Colombian min
lister is expected. 1t is believed ter
mnation of diplomatic relations be-
tween this country and Colombia is in
prospect.
Acting Secretary Wilson had advised
senior Ospina of the probable itinerary
of Secretary Knox. What is said to
have particularly aroused the Colom-
ban minister was a reference to the
republic of Panama in the itinerary, a
country whose independence Colombia
never has recognized.
A tentative itinerary of Secretary
Knox tonight makes provision for a
stop at Cartagena, Colombia, March %.
Minister'S Letter
After the customary diplomatic pre-
smble. the ministers letter says:
Speaking. therefore. in my own
name and without any knowledge
of the views of my government on
the matter, I take the liberty of
suggesting that there is, perhaps.
reason for believing that such a
visit of his excellency, the secre-
tary of state. may happen TO be
considered as inopportune at the
present time. in view of the fact
that Colombia still finds herself
placed by the United States in an
exceptional position as the only
member of the numerous family
of independent nations scattered
over the face of the earth to
which. despite its constant de-
mands, the United States refuses
to submit TO arbitration questions
referring exclusively to the inter
probation Of public treaties and
the compliance with obligations
imposed by the universally ac-
cepted principles of international
law on all civilized nations in
their relations one with another.
1T is meet to mention here that
even the former president of the
United States, Mr.. Roosevelt, both
when he occupied that position and
when. returned to private life, he
has dealt in public with these mat
ters, has always emphatically main
tanned the propriety and desirable
ity of submitting 10 the decree of
an impartial tribunal of arbitra-
ton the decision of international
controversies involving such ques-
tions
II shall appreciate it if this. my
suggestion. is taken as born of the
desire which animates me TO avoid
any occasion Of aggravating the
differences which exist between the
two countries and to see the hour
arrive when they may be satisfac-
I-I ,s~f~
always has been and is now dis
posed.
Nearly three months have elapsed
since, in compliance with the in
structions of my government, I re-
iterated 1November 25) to the gov
ernment OF the United states the
demand for the arbitration of the
existing controversy, and / see my
self obliged to say with surprise
and modification. which you will
doubtless understand that UP to
the present ] have not had the
honor of receiving a reply. One
of the several grounds of complaint
put forward, if my memory serves
me well, as / have not the docu-
ment at hand. by the government
of the United States to the govern
ment of Great Britain in 1884,
when in such peremptory terms 1t
demanded the submission to arbi-
tration of the boundary question
then pending with Venezuela, was,
as you viii remember, that Eng
land had left without reply for
considerable length of time an inn
portant note of the state depart
ment. Let it be permitted TO Co
lombia, in her weakness, respect
fully and candidly to express how
hard it is for her to see herself
subjected 10 like treatment
No one who knows the unrest
which is being felt In my country
at the delay in the satisfactory dis
posal of these questions will fail to
look sympathetically upon the ef
forts which 1t is necessary for me
to make that a settlement be ar
rived at as rapidly as possible.
Attitude Is Defined
The attitude OF the United tSates with
respect TO the partition of Panama is
mol na r1p