Venezuela

Cipriano Castro, President of Venezuela, hides behind a large rock, hoping that the large claw-type animal trap labeled “Monroe Doctrine” he set will prove effective in preventing the British Lion, a cat labeled “Italy” with the face of Victor Emmanuel III, King of Italy, and a boar labeled “Germany” with the face of William II, Emperor of Germany, from coming ashore to demand payment of international debts.

comments and context

Comments and Context

The immediate context of this cartoon is the blockade of Venezuelan ports announced by the principal creditor nations England, Germany, and Italy. President Cipriano Castro arrogantly ignored debts owed by the Caracas government and Venezuelan banks and companies; in February 1902 those powers declared a blockade as a first step to extract debt payments. An international arbitration court at the Hague was suggested by President Roosevelt as a venue to find a solution, but it decreed that as principal creditors, those three powers had a preferential claim. However other nations, including the United States, were also owed money. As the cartoon shows, the European states might have hesitated because of the Monroe Doctrine, but Roosevelt made that a moot point one year after this cartoon by establishing the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine: that in instances like this, the United States would act both as protector against foreign presence in the Western Hemisphere, and a manager to mediate, collect debts, etc., in disputes.

A bull dog labeled “England,” a whippet (or greyhound) labeled “Italy,” and a dachshund labeled “Germany” gather around a dish labeled “Preferred Claims” full of food labeled “Venezuela.” Sitting above them on a fence are four cats labeled “Belgium, Spain, France, [and] Holland” with the fur on their backs raised. Both cats and dogs are seeking payment from Venezuela for its international debts.

comments and context

Comments and Context

This cover cartoon expands upon Joseph Keppler’s cartoon of the previous week in Puck, which showed only England, Germany, and Italy as animals hungry to collect financial claims again the outlaw government in Venezuela. Here, Pughe adds four cats, on the fence, howling for their own just claims. The only nation both cartoons ignored was the United States, which had its own claims. Cartoons on the same topic in the weekly magazine indicate what a hot topic the Venezuelan debt crisis was, and it led to President Roosevelt formulating the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.

A young boy labeled “Venezuela” complains to Uncle Sam about the presence of a German battleship. Uncle Sam explains to him that the Monroe Doctrine will protect him from violence, but that he still must pay his “honest debts.” Caption: Venezuela — Better mind your Monroe Doctrine! That German is making trouble. / Uncle Sam — The Monroe Doctrine will keep you from being kidnapped, Sonny; but it won’t help you get out of your honest debts.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Keppler’s cartoon is a textbook illustration of the factors leading to President Roosevelt’s formulation of the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. Several countries in the Western Hemisphere incurred the ire of European nations due mainly to infractions of normal trade and commerce practices. These frictions also threatened to stoke colonial ambitions. No country was more troublesome than Venezuela, which defaulted on debts with nations and individuals in Germany, England, and Italy. This cartoon appeared the first week of 1902, but things came to a head a year later, in early 1903, when the three nations in concert threatened a blockade of Venezuelan ports and extracting debt payments. Roosevelt’s Corollary was, a year in advance, perfectly summed up by Uncle Sam in this cartoon. 

President Roosevelt is shown handing a notice to arbitrate to Uncle Sam. Caption: Uncle Sam – Certainly, arbitrate for the South Americans, Mr. President, only don’t agree to any “guarantees” of debt by the U.S. for these infant and turbulent republics.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-12-22

President Roosevelt is seen frantically looking at the claims of allies, international law, and various foreign language dictionaries as various countries clamor in more demands from doors, windows, and walls.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-12-23

Uncle Sam sits on the roof of the United States Capitol building, speaking to Congress through a telephone line as Venezuela sits in the distance. Caption: Uncle Sam to Congress: “Increase the Navy.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902

President Roosevelt is dressed as Santa Claus and trying to decide Yes or No to the question waiting in the stocking, whether he will arbitrate the Venezuelan Crisis or not. Great Britain, Germany and France look on anxiously from their hiding places under the bed. Caption: An anxious moment for the parties under the bed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-12-25

President Roosevelt smiles as England and Germany look at a saw labeled Monroe Doctrine. Hanging above the saw is a sign, “Don’t Monkey with the Buzz-Saw.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-1903

President Roosevelt hunts a raccoon labeled Venezuelan Difficulty with a rifle labeled Arbitration. Caption: The Coon – Hello, they have given you the gun, have they?-Well, I might as well come down.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-12-24

A War Lord hands President Roosevelt a gold brick labeled Sole Arbiter (Made in Germany) as Uncle Ed looks on. A sign points the way to The Hague.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-12-28

President Roosevelt provides Secretary of State Hay with a list of appointments in the diplomatic and consular service after March 4, 1905. Roosevelt includes a handwritten note, “All this is tentative.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-17

President Roosevelt sent Secretary of State Hay ex-senator Henry Gassaway Davis’s puzzling comments on Williams C. Fox. He feels Fox should be promoted if he is “of sufficiently moral character.” If Hay sees Elihu Root in the evening, Roosevelt asks them to review the Costa Rica proposition.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-14

President Roosevelt met with Hermann Speck von Sternburg, evidently inspired by Berlin, who suggested that the United States join the European Great Powers in forming a “syndicate” to take possession of Venezuela’s finances. Sternburg thinks that such action would settle the situation in Venezuela and prevent future punitive expeditions by European nations to collect debts. Roosevelt did not provide a definitive answer but expressed his opinion that the American people would oppose such a proposal and consider it a violation of the Monroe Doctrine.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-13

Theodore Roosevelt found Adolph W. Callisen’s letter to Richardson about William Roscoe Thayer’s “Chapter of Diplomacy” regarding the Venezuela incident interesting. He asks Callisen to write him more fully about it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-05-03

President Roosevelt advises Senator Knox, who will be president-elect William H. Taft’s secretary of state, on the importance and fragility of the relationship between the United States and Japan. Roosevelt explains why he believes that there is a real possibility that Japan will declare war on the United States, although this is by no means certain. Currently, many Americans are pursuing ineffectual and offensive strategies in an effort to prevent Japanese immigration to the United States. Roosevelt supports their goal but not their means. In Hawaii, meanwhile, Roosevelt disapproves of sugar planters encouraging large numbers of settlers from China and Japan to come work on their plantations. Roosevelt feels that the settlement of Hawaii by individuals from Southern Europe should be encouraged. His more general policy is threefold. He wants the government to prevent Japanese citizens from settling in America, while treating Japan “so courteously that she will not be offended more than necessary,” and building up the navy as a preventative measure. Although the value of this policy should be self-evident, Americans “are shortsighted and have short memories.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-08

President Roosevelt tells Secretary of State Root that conditions in Venezuela are deteriorating, and says that the United States should “send a first-class man down there in order to be on the ground before the trouble takes place.” Roosevelt suggests a travel route for the proposed representative. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-17

President Roosevelt tells Harry Johnston that he does not believe that the United States will intervene in Haiti, although he thinks that it ought to. Roosevelt does not like to act unless he can get the support of the American population behind him. In many cases in Central America and the Antilles, it either took a long time for the population to embrace interference or they never became interested. Roosevelt would have liked the United States to act in Venezuela, Central America, and Haiti, but says that people are “not merely blind, but often malevolently blind, to what goes on.” Roosevelt is pleased that Johnston’s impressions of New York are going to be published, and hopes that his thoughts on the Southern United States are likewise published.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-04

President Roosevelt was very interested in what Ambassador Reid wrote to him about the planned reform of the House of Lords, and about German Emperor William II. Roosevelt tells Reid about some of his own foreign relations with Germany, intimating that he used the United States Navy to help shore up relations with Germany during the Venezuela crisis. He qualifies that such threats of force must be “accompanied with every manifestation of politeness and friendship,” and that he follows the policy of “speaking softly and carrying a big stick.” Roosevelt additionally informs Reid of the route he plans to take on his way to Mombasa, and that he wishes to avoid official functions. He also hopes to avoid reporters.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-04

President Roosevelt thanks French Ambassador Jusserand for the books he sent. Roosevelt tells Jusserand he is glad to have the distraction of his upcoming African Safari. Roosevelt shares his thoughts about leaving office, and the duty of a president to make the office as strong as possible, while at the same time not grasping for permanent power. Roosevelt discusses the problems with Turkey and Venezuela, adding that he wishes France could solve everything.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-03

President Roosevelt found Robert Lee Howze’s letter interesting. He did not know that Venezuela would need so “formidable” a force and will take the matter up with the General Staff at once.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-21