The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-01-16
Men and Women Prominent in u.
S. Join in Statement Favor
ing Naturalization Of
Waterway
WOULD BE SAFER In WARTIME
Hold the Erection Of Defenses Entire
ly Unnecessary and Offer Six
Reasons Why Ditch Should
Be Unguarded.

Boston, Mass Jan. ia statement
embodying six reasons why the Pan
anna Canal should be neutralized, bear
ing the signatures of men and women,
prominent in the United States and
abroad, was made public today. Rich
ard Olney, former secretary of state;
David Starr Jordan, president of Le-
land Stanford, Jr., University; William
Dean Howells, author; Charles p. An
derson, Protestant Episcopal bishop of
Chicago; William IL. p. Faurce. presi-
dent of Brown University; Jane Ad-
dams of Hull House. Chicago; George
b. Holt justice of the United States
district court, and George Foster Pea
body, the New York banker, are among
the sponsors of the document. The
statement follows:
why the Panama Canal should be
neutralized. not fortified.
Safer in Wartime.
because the canal would be safer
i'm wartime without fertilization. Ac-
cording to the agreement signed by
the Hague Conference i'm 1907, unfor-
titled coast places can not be bomb
arded.
because the original intention OF
our government, as distinctly express
ed I'm 1900, and previously, was to pro-
hibit fortfcations on the canal. Though
this prohibition was omitted in the
finally revised Hay Pauncefort treaty,
that we ought TO fortify it. nor was its
construction proposed as primarily
military undertaking.
"3-Because. though the Suez Canal
was built with English money. Eng
land agreed to its naturalization. The
Straits of Magellan are also neutraliz-
ed and the Interparliamentary Union.
in 1910, declared i'm favor of the neut-
ralizations of all inter-oceanic water
ways
Naturalization Sacred.
because the United States in all
began every foreign war 1t ever had.
and it is too important customer
for any great nation at this late day
to wantonly attack. Though an enemy
might in stress of war be tempted to
break its pledge to us, no nation would
dare break it's naturalization pledge
with the combined Powers, as the pen
atty of non-intercourse. which could be
included in the general treaty. would
involve commercial ruin.
"5-Because, with the experience
of nearly a century's peace with Eng
land, we should be insincere in in
creasing our war measures. This is
especially true in view of he facts
that since 1902, the nations I'VE sign
ed one hundred arbitration ucaties and
President Taft has made the impress
sive declaration that he sees no rea-
son why any question whatever should
not be arbitrated.
Expense is Too Great.
"6-Because. i'm the words of Hon.
David ]. Foster chairman of the Com
mittee of Foreign Affairs in the House
OF Representatives: "The initial ex
pense Of the necessary fortifcations
would not be less than $25.O00000; in
all probability 1t would not be less
than $50,0O0.000. The annual expense
OF maintaining such fortifications 1000
miles from home would probably
amount to $5,000,00O. With all the for
ufications possible. II is still appa-
rent that in order that the canal might
be of military advantage to the Unit
ed States in time of war a guard of
battleships at each of its entrances
would be an absolute necessity. IL is
equally apparent that with such a
guard the fortifications would be un-
necessary. If not entirely useless. We
are bound by solemn treaty obligations
TO see to IL that the canal shall be and
remain forever open to British ships
In time of war as we'll as in time of
peace, and while IL is probably true,
mat no other nation could claim any
advantage by virtue of this treaty, II
Is also true that we have thereby
placed ourselves under moral obliga-
uon to maintain an open canal for the
ships of all nations at all times, in war
as well as in peace"
Many Important signers.
other signers of the statement are
Henry Wade Rogers dean of the Yale
Law School; John Graham Brooks lee
turer on economies; Francis Lynde
s,etson, attorney of New York: Ida
Iarbell' historian; N. O. Nelson. manu-
i"cturer. st. Louis; r. p. Wheeler at
'orney OF New York; Samuel p. Capen.
president OF the American Board OF
commissioners for Foreign Missions.
pos'on; Marcus NJ. Marks. and Thorn
as Mott Osborne. manufacturer. Au-
burn, N. Y.