New-York tribune., 1911-11-15
canal PROBLEMS GRAVE
Stimson Points Out Need Of
Quick Legislation on Tolls.
FAVORS MILITARY CONTROL
Fears Disbandment Of Trained
Employes-Champ Clark
Praises Benton.

Kansas city, Me, Nov A.-In addressing
the Kansas city Commercial Club tonight
the Secretary of War. Henry l.. Stimson
In dealing with the problems presented ~
the approaching completion OF the Panama
Canal. took advanced ground in favor OF
subsidies to American shipping. using tho
canal for its administration as military
adjunct.
He called attention 70 the fact that al
though there will be water enough i'm the
canal 10 float small boats throughout its
length by the close Of the rainy season
which commences next May and while the
canal will he fully rcsdy for ocean trafiic'
through our own neglect no provision mas
been made for its operation. As soon as
;hc canal il completed the Presidents au-
thoriiy over IL will cease unless Congress
comes TO the rescue. \ great economic loss
viii he involved in permitting the present
splerlioly efficient force % employees tn
disntegratc when so much OF 81 will be
needed for the permanent operation OF the
canal.
Then there is the problem OF forming a
permanent organization CT government to
operate the canal and to control the zone.
ihe country is worthless fer agricultural
purposes: mostly tropical jungle or low
rocky hills and il IS prepostcrous TO think
Of it ever forming d tesig ior an American
farming settlement. ne said
Basic Problem Military One.
The Secretary said that at the bottom the
canal presents j military problem. For
defensive purposes it will double the capac-
pf nd 70 hat blocked at
a critical moment IN or national life.
either by accident or design. might be quite
as disa etrous rs having twenty o. our bat
tleshps sunk - cca Tnc temptation which
that fact imposes on any ration Witn which
the United States may be at war must
never be lost sight Of, Re said. Correspond
ingly its military effectiveness will make it
j powerful ally i'm assuring peace.
Touching the important question of tolls,
the Secretary pointed out that the Panama
Canal would have at least three great COM
petitors-the Suez Canal. the Tehuantepec
route and our own transcOntinental rail
roads. The amount OF commerce that will
use the Panama route will be determined
largely by the question Of tolls. If 81
ton of freight per thousand miles repre-
sents the coal consumption OF the freight
steamers, every dollar charged as tolls
for the canal will neutraize a thousand
miles OF the advantage in distance which
The Panama route may have over any
competitor There should be an admins
tratve body or officers. with power TO fix
tolls and to change them to meet changing
trade conditions and competition. the Sec
rotary said.
r.ryIt Z iao 'rf4 oil E4afo
to pay tolls on American vessels using the
canal. Secretary Stimson had not the
shadow o. doubt lie said there would
be no violation OF our treaties on any
evasion of them, and no doubt as TO the
right OF the United states, both legal and
moral, to subsldizc its shipping passing
through the canal.
Under the treaty with Great Britain the
rules Of the Suez Canal were 10 govern, and
in that case it had never been considered a
violation Of the rule of naturalization for
a nation TO pay the tolls on the vessels
flying its flag. Substantially. every Euro
rOpcan government using the Suez Canal
pays such subsidies, fully or partly cquiva-
lvnt to The full tolls.
Other Nations viii Pay.
When the Panama Canal is opened the
vessels Of all our marine competitors Who
use 1t will be in receipt from their govern
ments OF money either given them directly
to pay their tolls. or applicable i'm their
discretion 90 such use. Therefore, said
the Secretary, it was perfectly clear that
the United States had the right 20 apprO-
pirate to the vessels paying the same, the
sum raid into It's Treasury 5y those vessels
I'm the form OF canal tolls.
secretary Stinscn expected great benefit
to the country from the canal I'm its effect
OH transcontincuial rates although tho
Lublic had never received any real benefit
from the Panama Railroad as Il competitor
with the transcontircntal lines
Mr. Stimson was inclined 10 believe he
said. that effective solution cf the problem
would DC 20 extend over the new route the
power of the Interstate Commerce Com
r,ission.
Largely because American histories and
biographies are written by men who live
in Eastern states. the deeds OF Western
pioneers and statesmen ale mNimized and
are gradually bong eliminated from his
tory" was tho pith or a 81 ccch By Speaker
Champ Clark, who cuo.ized Thomas Hart
Benton. whom he styled The Great Mis-
scurian.
May USE CANAL. IN 1918