The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-03-05
Kaiser E'BaCked Water" on the
Monroe Doctrine in 1902
under CoIoneI's Threat.

AiIAGl IQlVIlGI . I'LL GaLs
WASHINGTON. Mar. 4.-Recent ex-
posture of German schemes to gain a
foothold in Central and South Amer
lea has chilled attention to m impress
sive historical incident, not generally
known, in which Theodore Roosevelt,
when president, forced the kaiser to
back down when no was threatening
to violate the Monroe doctrine.
In a recent edition of 1.-THE Life and
Letters OF John Hay,3VFilliam= Roscoe
Thayer relates the incident. "A Ger
man fleet threatened to seize Venez-
uelan territory in 1902 to force a pay
ment of debts. President Roosevelt
told the German ambassadoS that IL
the kaiser refused to arbftrate an
American fleet would be sent to Venez-
uelan waters in ten days.
There was no answer. A week later
Mr.. Roosevelt warned the Berlin en-
voy that the United States squadron
would sail day earlier than the orig
Inal time limit II the kaiser would not
yield. Emperor William agreed to ar
bitrate.
Instead of shaking his fist first and
his finger afterward, as Elihu Root
pictures Wilson diplomacy, Colonel
Roosevelt shook his fist twice and
won.
Monroe Doctrine Put to Test.
Following is the story as told In Mr..
Thayers book:
"In 1902, one OF the periodic OUT
breaks to which Venezuela was adj
dIcted gave him 1.-THE kaIser) an ex-
cuse for putting to the test whether
or not the United States would defend
the Monroe doctrine by force Of arms.
The Venezuelans owed the Germans
the English and the italians large
amounts, which they had put of pay
ing until their creditors began to sus-
pect that they never intended TO pay
at all. The kaiser apparently counted
on the resistance OF the Venezuelans
to furnish him a pretext for occupy
ing one or moro of their seaboard
towns.
an order to disguise the fact that
this was q German undertaking, he
looked about for accomplies who
would give TO 1t an international SEM
blance. 1t happend just at that time
that Germany found itself isolated, as
France and Russia has renewed their
bond OF friendship. England, too. al
ways suspicious OF Russia, and re-
Gently irritated by France. seemed to
be looking for a friend. BY offers
which cannot yet be made public. Ger
many persuaded f''e +e~ -H~ernment
draw closer to It. The immediate
result Of this attIel4p4t, IA lnterna-
tional coquetry was the joint demand
OF Germany and England on Venezuela
TOT pay them their dues. Venezuela
procrastlnated.
1.-THE allies then sent warships and
established what they called a pacific
blockade on the VeneZulena ports
December 8, 1000. During the rol-
lowing year Secretary Hay tried to
persuade the blockaders of the unwis-
dom Of their action. He persistenrly
called their attention to the fact that
pacific blockade was contradic-
ton in terms, and that its enforce
ment against the rights OF neutral ma
lions could not be tolerated. He also
urged arbitration.
| Germany deemed that its opportu-
nifty had now come, and on December
s. 1902, 1t and Great Britain severed
diplomatic relations with Venezuela
making 1t plain that the next steps
would be the bombardment Of Vnne-
zrelan towns and the occupation OF
Venezuelan territory.
Roosevelt Met the Test.
Here came the test OF the Monroe
doctrine. II the United States per,
mit'cd foreign nations, under the pre-.
:enFe OF supporting their creditors
claims, TO invade weak debtor state
by naval or military expedition, ant
10 take possession OF its territory
what would become of the doctrine
| AT this point the direction OF The
American policy passed from Score
tary Hay to President Roosevelt. <
england and Italy were willing Il
come to an understanding. German,
refused. II stated that IL 1t took pos,
session of territory, such possession
would be only temporary: but suct
possessions easily become permanent;
end, besides, 1t Is difficult to trust t
guarantees which may be treated a
scraps Of paper
president Roosevelt did not ahirl
the test. Although his action hal
never been officially described, therl
isgno reason now for not describing 81
ene day when the crisis was q