The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-20

Washington, February Io-secre,ary
OF State Knox viii not visit Colombia
during his proposed tour OF the coum
tries bordering on the Caribbean Sea
unless there IL a sp sciai inyita;io from
the Colombian government This an.
nouncemcn, was made BIZ Acting Sec
rotary Huntington Wilson tonight
! who also declared that such an inyi.
Sation Is unlikely.
There must be some confusion IL
tho Interpretation Of the report from
Palm Beach" ne SAID. that Secretary
Knox, ~ Carrying on, the original
itinerary laid out for him. would in
clude Colombia. Unless there Is a
| special invitation from Colombia. Mr..
Knox VIII not go tarre. / may say
tina; we hardly expect IT,
Not Especially Concerned.
Mr. Wilson would not say whether
his prediction that no Invitation would
be forthcoming WAS based on Senior
Pedro Ssl Os2ina's personal letter to
him. MADE public yesterday. or whe,h.
or It was consequences o; the strained
re!st!ons existing for the last eigh,
years between the two governments
Canal zone. He intimated, however,
that the State Department fell, no es-
pccial concern over the action OF tho
Colombian minister here. and was not
wrought Up over the incident our
position" ne declared. is one OF self
contained unconcern."
There were indications. however.
that Senior Ospina's &C, was regarded
es a breach OF etiquette. not so much
because OF the nature OF his response
10 state Department communication.
out because he had made public cor.
respondence without securing the con.
sent OF the other party. Omclals verse6
| In diplomatic etiquette incline 10 ths
opinion that the latter itself contained
no insulting language.
senior Ospina tonight dIsclaimed in
public statement any intention OF in
sultins either the United states gov
eminent or Secretary Knox by his
personal notification to the State De-
partmAnt that visit 10 his country
by the secretary would be "inoppor-
tune"
The minister declares that his letter
was intended to be couched, and is
couched. in polite and considerable Ian.
guage. and was written to avoid any
possible nnpleasantness TO Secretary
iNH''- - u sIsIl tO4onlo1a. .
senior Ospina reiterated that he
thought the trip inopportune. because
the citizens of Colombia are naturally.
deeply assriaved to find their country
Inc only one in the whole ward with
which the United States refuses TO
enter into a treaty OF arbitration"
The action of Senior Ospina found
many sympath!zers to-day. not only
amons members OF the Latin-American
diplomatic corps, but some members
OF Congress as we'll appIauded the
move
sulEcr Sides With ospina.
representative Sulzer. chairman of
the House Committee on Foreign Az.
talTS. issued statement siding with
the Colombian minister in his demand
for arbitration.
The testimony thus far adduced he
Tore the committee" said Representa-
tive Snlzar, commenting on the pro-
gress of the Rainey Investigation
shows conclusively that the taking Of
Panama was the result OF n conspiracy
carefully planned and cleverly exc
cuted. 1t cannot be justified in morals
or law The government of the United
states must make PREPARATION for the
outrage TO the republic of Colombia.
Chiess TINS is done we cannot expect
s''~ pi the IRA de or our SIS
ter republics In Central and south
America The Committee on Foreign
Affairs will proceed diligently with the
investigation"
Mr.. Suffers remarks are in connjct
with what is SAID to be the attitude OF
the State Department toward Colon
Dia 5 demand for arbitration of The
dispute growing ont of the partition
OF Panama, II being held by this gov
eminent that a.y differences in CON
neciion with the affair were wholly
between Panama and Colombia and
that the United States. as a third
party, has nothing to arbitrate.
Senior Ospina's communication 10 ,be
state Department. admittedly his ner.
sonal views, IL was said BY some diplo-
mats, probably would be confirmed nv
the Colombian government. This Is
assumed from the fact that Senior os-
pima is political leader in tn. re-
public.
y severance of Diplomatic relations.
therefore is looked for here as as
sured. unless the United States indi-
Gates willingness to submit tho ali.
ferenees to arbitration. which is prac-
tically ColOmbia's ultima tum
kErrn nHII 0rar r-@--