Show R t r rt t THE VENEZUELAN ARBITRATION TION The action of Germany and England II in replying to it 51 suggestion estion from Roosevelt that the I Venezuelan lan dispute te be lC submitted to the arbitration of if The rhe Hn Hague 1 tribunal J by hy l making n a counter pro proposal lO that President Roosevelt lt himsel arbitrate the the- sues if-sues furnishes convincing proof that lint the allied powers have a wholesome regard for the lion Monroe roe doctrine t I ne I It t f cannot be e doubted that th the presence of ofA A Admiral miral Deweys Dewey's powerful fleet in South American waters el has Im had a great deal to do with arou arousing ing an increased Ie for the American principle which ha bars foreign G Governments i s front acquiring territory in-ilie in UIe Western Vestern hemisphere The Ilie mimic war at game inq ell hud the effect t of demonstrating to the coun conn- tries of Europe that Uncle Sum Sam i is supreme in this neck of the globe and amI that he lie is ready eady and amI able at times nIL to maintain his position And com coming g at this thiH stage singe of affairs the suggestion that President ent Roosevelt Jt arbitrate the i issues is the 10 logical ical solution of the problem Venezuela is f a t turbulent little republic re public and at times feels the need of discipline S b bu t Uncle Sam Sain not the tile allied powers should administer admin ister that diplomatic spanking n Venezuela should S bri to pa pay all just debts it has incurred inc am ant and I for foi damages inflicted upon citizens of other COWl coun I tries who own wn property within the thc Venezuelan bor bor- i d ders rs But nut when Germany ts to the tile ways of I the highwayman to collect debts it plays into the hands 0 of Venezuela If President Roosevelt agrees s sto to arbitrate the tIre issues he will have haye a complicated case on his han hands s. s The rue German si side e of the lie controversy contro contro- lo versy with Venezuela as pr presented to the tile German Parliament December follows German settlers set set- tiers lost in the civil chon war prior to 1900 3 OO through forel d loans seizures of cattle and amid pillaging of or houses and estates and in inthe th the la last t civil war they lost host an additional GOn The Tile commission of Venezuelan on officials appointed in January 1101 1901 to decide the claims were not hot satisfactory because all claims ari aris arising arising ing previous to President lt Castros Castro's administration were wele ignOl ignored ignoll d diplomatic protests were precluded an and the claims would only be bc paid with bonds o othe of or orthe the new revolutionary loan which would be bc evidently evident evident- l ly almost almot worthless The German Minister inister at Caracas Ca ha having ving failed to get et 1 these hese points altered Germany Ocr Ger many felt compelled to refuse refus altogether to recognize nize the tile commission Similar r refusals were made by br Great Britain Britain the Ilie United States Stales Italy Spain and the N Netherlands but as Venezuela insisted Geis Ger ninny many examined ined the claims and alid made Venezuela re rc responsible re- re for 01 those e which were apparently well founded Venezuela then promised a satisfactory solution on through Congress but hut the latter simply reverted to the tile commission Venezuela declined further fur fur- titer ther discussion and refused to settle by diplomatic means To force a settlement the German Minister at Caracas handed to the Government on December cr an nu ultimatum deman demanding ing- ing the thc immediate payment pay par ment of the the- war claims to 1 1900 1000 OO an and a satisfactory statement regarding ing the fixing and guaranteeing the amount of f the claims arising from the recent civil chil war ai But Bt this is only the German Gelman version Venezuela has bas not not a as yet Jet presented it its side of the case |