Show NATIONS AS COLLECTION AGENCIES It appears that Venezuela Is In debt to all the civilized nations of the world and that protocols will have to he diawn up In each case Minister Bowen Bow-en Is busy at this work now beginning Vlth one for the United States The other nations will also have things In order and then the question of division of available funds and priority will have to be considered by The hague court t The matter of payment of claims seems to rest altogether In every case on the collection of customs duties du-ties at Venezuelan ports It Is evident therefore unless there Is a stipulation to the t contrary t = that Venezuela will have a good deal to say about the matter mat-ter as she can change her tariff rates The whole incident brings Into active piomlhende a function of Government not heretofore much considered among nations viz that Il Is the duty of a nation to enforce the collection of the claims of Its citizens when they = are unable to collect for themselves This makes asort of Governmental Insurance for bad debts that is and will be highly satisfactory to the l creditor but hardly io much HO to the average citizen who has no interest In the matter It also adds an Inflammable cause for war to those already recognized and marks the length to which the spirit of commercialism com-mercialism Is willing to regardless of the traditional limitations of governmental govern-mental action ami the l rules heretofore controlling the risks of trade I Among the benefits to a debtor nation such as Venezuela arising from the now order of things may reasonably be asked the exclusion of high rates of interest 01 exchange on account of the risk Involved In-volved for If the Government of which the creditor Isa citizen Is I to enforce payment I there is no special risk lo provide 1 against The extent lo which the new principle 1 may reach cannot nOv be reckoned but It Is evident that a new era in some respects has begun and Its unfolding will be watched by l all publicists with marked curiosity |