New-York tribune., 1910-12-08
c4x41 DEEENcE 4ND NELTR4LITT.

CAN4L I)EFEA Ch IL u NEt ! hAl- : :
The I'regident's : recommendation that
suitable provision he made fer the forti-
fication of the Panama Canal ought 10
lac afifrnatively acted upon without
serious demur The fundamental fact
concerning the legal and international
status of the canal IS that it is-in The
thought Of Grant and the words of
Hayes-an American canal under Ameri-
can control. tt is our canal by virtue of
tradition and precedent since the days
Of the IStElmian treaty with New Gran
ada hy virtue of purchase and OF sub
seQueut vast expenditures Of labor and
OF money. and by virtue Cf that geo
graphical lo@ic which mikes 1t an 1nte-
eral portion Of our coastal waters and
its control an indispensable condition nt
our national security pence and comfort
Under such circumstances. 10 fail 10
safeguard in the best possible manner
q possession Of such value and impor-
tance would be shortsighted aud foolish.
It is urged. it is true that We should
neutraIize the canal. and therefore
should not fortify it. That is non
aequittp To neutralize the canal in
the only sense permissible To American
policy. would make fortihcati0n Of it not
unnecessary. but all the more necessary.
To neutraliZe It in the sense of asking
other nations 70 Join in guaranteeing lis
security would be step wholly unac-
ceptabIe at least to any one having
fattf.
and dignity This nation has repeatedly
refused to enter into any such eutanGle-
ments. there or elsewhere on this CONT
rent. or to sanction any such European
prOtectorate over American property.
and il has no mind at this late day 10
reverse its sound and honorable policy
The canal is therefore to be neurrallzed
only in the sense that America. con-
structiug. owning controlling and oper-
ating it. Will keep it open for the Impair
tiaJ use Of all the well disposed nations
Of the world But if we are to do that,
il inevitably follows Jhat we must take
all needfuI precautions 10 protect II
against harm by some i'll disposed
mower. If we We're to leave II unde-
Tended there would be no guarantee that
in case of war between Ruritania and
Kravonia for example. the Ruritaniau
fleet would not seize It and either de
strov il or bar al passage of it by tie
ships not only Of Kravonia but also of
all other nations In such neglect to
safeguard il for the Use Of the world
we should be betraying the trust which
the world reposes liz Us. Suppose that
when she wished TO send her ships
through the Suez Canal Russia had
found Japan barring the way, would she
not have had just cause for complaint
gainst Great Britain for not protect
inc the freedom Of that highway:
Whether. then. the canal he neutral
ized or not. whether It be primarily our
OWL private waterway or Il highway
open and free TO all the world. it is in
cumbent upon US 50 to fortify it as 10
make il As secure as possible against
seizure attack. or any hostile interfer
ence. Il is also necessary for rs 10 do 80
III once. since the date Of its completion
and opening is near at hand. II we be-
cin work on the fortiications now we
shall not be able 10 complete them sooner
than the canal itself viii be completed
There should he no hesitation and no
delay. The fortilications are as essen
riaI as the dams and locks themselves
and they should be pushed 10 compile
tion DQri pQSsU with them