Show CASTRO DEFIANT DEFANT IN nr FACE PACE OF THREATS BY BYI I EUROPEAN POWERS PO CARACAS Dec 10 President dent Castro received the correspondent ot ol the tle Associated Press s at Mira lra Flores Fiores palace flace yesterday In reply to questions the President of Venezuela said The Th Venezuelan Government h hnot haw hait not received recel an any ultimatum proper properly speaking but rather simultaneous re requests requests re re- quests from Great Britain and Ger Ger- many The claims Great Britain asks this Government to settle are small smal and up to th the present time we e have not been aware of them Never ln ha having been presented Venezuela has han consequently consequently conse conse- never ne refused to settle sette them Great Britain's action therefore Is without t justl Justification fea ton Th Venezuelan Government Go cannot decide on foreign claims before th the revolution has been entirely crushed At At present the only aim of the Government Govern Govern- Go ment intent Is 15 the establishment le rc of oC public order ordel and other questions must necessarily necessarily arl be subservient to this object Nevertheless e to prove pro o Venezuela's de desire desire desire de- de sire to settle sette all al pending pending claims In a n conformable manner the time Government GO Issued a decree during the last session of Con Congress ress dated November ember creating cresting Ce- Ce cre cre- sting a committee to which all al pending pending claims should be referred No o claims have ha e been presented to this committee and no claims have been rejected There has been no denial of or justice why hy then should foreign chancelleries Intervene Inter ene thereby Ignoring our laws and endea endeavoring ns to violate viola te our na national lona I sovereignty We Ve cannot understand this action What hat do you ou intend to do rIo ro in view vIes of I Ithe the pre present ent attitude o of the powers was asked Enforce our rights replied relie President dent Castro and explain to the w world that Venezuela has laws lawf and prove pro that we have never denied our en engagements engage engage- men ments ta The President wa was asked what reply rep the Ven Venezuelan Government would make malte to tolie he the requests handed hande It I by Germany German and Great Britain He lie replied after aner reflect reflect- Ing ng The he Venezuelan Government Go Is Is' Is tans tans- as- as that after aHer the notes which were transmitted to it b by the tho diplomatic representatives rep rep- of Germany German and Great Britain Brit Brit- am ain these envoys o n should hould leave Caracas Carcas without awaiting the rell reply rely of the Venezuelan Vene Government Go Questioned as to what course he In- In to 10 pursue should the Powers declare de de- de- de dare clare a blockade the President e excused himself from answering |