The sun., 1900-12-14
Article Three.

aco certain statesmen and certain news
uaner. have distinguished themselves by
urging the ratification Of tho treaty. Just
~ IL IL. on the ground that we can. Of course.
violate 1t In case we ever 90 10 war. Aston
ishing as this proposition seems. II has
como from some otherwise respectable
quarters For example, only last Wednes-
day IL was repeated by the Public Ledger
Of Philadelphia. IN this form:
The treaty IS a good treaty. directly In lin. with
the American position on the subject and it should
b. ratified AS practical question in case Of war,
the United States may be trusted TO take care of is
own Interests. as far as the control o' the canal Is
concerned"
All such arguments proceed from the
whted sepulchre Consciously or un-
consciously, they reveal an utter absence
OF the moral SENSE \ bunco steerer or
a confidence man OF decent exterior ought
TO be ashamed to advance the proposition
that this nation need not hesitate 10 bind
itself by treaty to the principle Of abso-
Lutte neutrality inasmuch as it will always
be In our power to make such use Of the
canal as war emergenc, es may require,
In the practical view this argument is
quite as foolish as II Il morally bad. Under
the terms OF the HayPauncefote Treaty.
in It's original form. our pledge not to use
the canal for our own war advantage IS
10 be given not only 10 the British Govern
ment, but also TO the Governments Of all
the great powers OF Europe. The third
article Of the treaty is as follows
Tho high contracting parties will. Immediately
upon the exchange Of the ra,ihcations Of this con-
ventlon bring II TO the notice OF the other powers
and invite them to adhere to IT,"
The adherence OF Germany. Russia,
France and the other powers would at
once give them each an equal voice with
the United States ard Great Britain In
the ultimate control Of the canal. and render
them equally responsible with Great Britain
for the enforcement OF the neutrality prin-
ciple against ourselves. il In stress Of war
wo should ever attempt to disregard ii.
II we came to hosttlities with England.
and should persuade ourselves that war
abrogates all treaties and we were conse-
quently at liberty to shut out English war
ships. we should at once have the rest OF
the civilized world TO reckon with. They
would properly become Englands allies
against us, We should either have 10
fight of the, united navies Of all the powers,
or see tho canal taken from us. as a trust
Il taken from an unworthy trustee, and
administered thereafter without reference
TO our desires or interests.
1t Is probable that when Mr.. HAY In
serted in his treaty the provision for a
concert Of the European powers. he had
no other purpose in view than TO commit
all the powers to the principle Of neutrality
and thus strengthen the practical guar
antee He does not seem to have con-
sidered the question in its more important
future Of our country. So he went ahead,
too rashly or too enthusiastically as the
case may he and added to the British COM
plications already existing an invitation
To Germany. France. Russia, Italy and the
rest to come over to the American i,thmus
and assume supervision of our proceedings
and policies there
But that II not the worst Of Article III.
The far-reaching consequences Of that
unnecessary enlargement go beyond the
matter Of war rights in the canal itself
it was frankly and squarely admitted by
Senator LODGE in the Senate on Monday in
reply TO questions by Senator BEvERIpGF.
that the Ilay-P -Pauncefote Treaty revives
the Clayton-Bulwer prohibition Of any
future exercise of dominion by us in any
part Of Central America; and, further.
more. that il twenty other nations see 1T
TO accept Mr. HAYS invitation as con-
tained in Article Ill. we shall be Obliged
To obtain the consent. not only Of Great
Britain but also Of every one Of the twenty
subscribing powers. before we can free
ourselves. In the least particular. from the
obligations which the Hay y-Pauncefote
Treaty imposes.
What vista What rcady-mada
lroGramme Of Just such entanglements
as the Father of this Country warned it
against in his Farewell Address. and as
the Monroe Doctrine was esnecialIy de-
signed W avert!
An Army Veterinary Corps.