The Prescott daily news., 1916-05-25

the United States troops from Alaska The friendship of two great peoples had not suffered one moments pub lie interruption. The boundary of the United States in Alaska ran unmo- tested along it's lawful line.
 The Dispute With Germany.
 In the midst of this engagement with Great Britain, Roosevelt had been forced into an engagement with Ger many. Germany had certain "pe- cuniary claims" against Venezuela. A railway, for instance had been built In Venezuela at the request of Ven ezuela by German capital at cost of S20, 100000. Venezuela had guaran- teed the interest on that $20,000,000 It was not paying it. When pressed, 1t added moral delinquency to it's financial delinquency It not only re- fused to pay, but it refused to enter into any effective plan looking toward payment. Germany had a good case and Venezuela had very poor one.
 At last, on December 8, 1902, Ger many broke off diplomatic relations with Venezuela and so did Great Britain. Already the fleets of Ger many and of Great Britain, and also of Italy, had established blockade in Venezuelan waters. Certain war yes sels belonging to Venezuela were cap tured and the town of Puerto Cabello was bombarded.
 Roosevelt did not attempt to make the United States take a public pose as sovereign" of the Caribbean. He launched no public fiat" His inter of pt,.ip moderate. It was moderate not only in its rhetoric but also in its essence. In his message of December 8, 1901, glancing at the Venezuelan dispute, he said We do not guarantee any state against punishment if it miscon- ducts itself" Germany had every reason to be pleased with this recog- milton of it's rights.
 At the same time, in order that there might be no misunderstanding of the one vital part of the Monroe Doctrine, Roosevelt added provided the punishment does not take the form of the acquisition of territory by any non-American power"
 At first it seemed that Germany was content to abide by this proviso. On December II, 1901. the German am bassador at Washington stated that his government had mo purpose or intention to make even the smallest acquisition of territory on the South American continent or the islands ad- jacent." It later appeared, however, that acquisition" in this statement meant permanent acquisition" Ger many would make no acquisition that was permanent. It did not consider it. self bound to make no acquisition that was temporary. In fact, it was look Ing forward to such an acquisition.
 Roosevelt at once objected. He re- called the fact that in China there were many temporary" acquisitions of territory by foreign powers and that in all such cases the word "tem- pOrary" seemed to mean while time lasts Notes ensued. They contin ued 10 ensue They threatened to keep Washington reading and writing till the Germans had landed on Ven ezuelan soil. Roosevelt laid down his pen and sent for the German ambas- sador and determined to get the mat ter settled personally without one word more on paper
 Roosevelt told von Holleben, the German ambassador that he wanted assurances He told him that Dewey was maneuvering in the Carlo bean; that the Assurances" in question would be expected to arrive from Der lin within ten days; that if they did not arrive Dewey would be ordered to sail southward and to see that no pos session, even temporary. was taken of any place in Venezuela" NOn Hole ben replied that his government would certainly refuse 10 give the United States the assurance" requested.
 week later vOn IIolleben visited the White House to speak of another matter. He spoke of it and turned to leave. Rooscvelt Have you heard anything from Berlin about Nene- Uela?" Won Holleben No" Roose, welt: Tt will not be necessary then for me to wait through all the re- mainng three days. l will wait just twenty-four hours more Twenty tour hours from now Dewey will sail" At the end of twelve hours von Hol- leben returned to the White House and said that he had heard from Der lin and that he now had the honor to request the President of the United States to act as arbitrator in the set clement of the differences which had unfortunately arisen between the Ger man government and the government of Venezuela.
 The point is not that Germany capitulated It's position was unten- able, and it could not avoid capituat- ing. The point is that one of the most dangerous and one of the most de cisive moments in the history of the international relations of the United States passed by without one public act or one public word to open the