Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-23
TO PROTECT CANAL
Sundry Civil Bill Carries an
Appropriation of $1,000, 900.
GEN. WOODS ARGUMENTS
Interesting Discussion During the
Committee Hearings.
TAWNEY'S PLAN TO AMEND
Will Propose That Resources of Dip
lomatic Negotiation Shall First
Be Exhausted
GEN. WOODS ARGUMENTS
TAWNEY'S PLAN TO AMEND

The lortifcation OF the Panama canal
seems assured. For the system Of de-
tense of the great waterway Ss.oOh.Io is
,-arred in the SIInGiTy civil appropriation
bill, reported to the House Of Represents
tives today. This is admittedly all the
money that can be used for the purpose
during the next fiscal year.
II is apparent that even those members
Of the appropriations committee who. like
Representative Tawney of Minnesota.
are opposed to the defense Of the canal
by other means than naturalization. have
yielded in some measure at least, and
have committed themselves to an elab-
crate system of modern Notifications.
II Is understood however. that when
the sundry civil bill is considered in the
House Mr.. Tawney will offer an amend
ment proposing that before any part of
the 100000 is expended the resources
of diplomatic negotiation shall be eX-
hausted in an effort to guarantee the
neutrality OF the canal by international
agreement.
Frank Discussion in Committee.
An extremely frank discussion Of the
course of the hearings on the bill when
Gen. Leonard Wood. chief of staff: Brig.
Gen. Murray and other members of the
Panama fortihcation board TESTIFIED on
the subjects According to Gen. Wood the
Hav-Pauncefote treaty is a "side issue,
hut he was emphatic in the declaration
that the single purpose OF forfifylng the
canal was to preserve 1t Tor the use u
the United States in time of war
"a
resentative keifer. republican. Ohio. VINO
believes in naturalization, that i'm war
and peace the canal shall never be block
ed against any nation, then the fortlfica-
tons would be used to block the canal
against a belligerent nation.
That" Gen. Wood frankly replied,
would be only on the suppositlon that
treaties are observed They seldom are,
unless to the mutual advantage OF the
contracting powers"
Discussing the Suez canal, which is
protected by international neutrality
agreement. Representative Smith, re-
publican, Iowa, declared that before the
Spanish fleet was allowed to go through
that waterway after the sinking of
Cervera.s feet. it was compelled to dis
mount its guns or put them in condition
unfit for battle. Gen. Wood did not know
about this.
afterward they came back remarked
Gen. Keifer.
Il think they found it more interesting
to come back Gen. Wood replied. with
out a smile.
Chairman Tawney asked Gen. Wood if
IL were not a fact that lin the last
analysis the purpose of the fertilization
of the canal is to insure to the United
States it's use as a military asset in case
of war;?
That is undoubtedly the most i'm
portant Of all the purposes of terrifying
the canal the chief of staff answered
with emphasis.
If Treaty Was Disregarded.
Representative Livingston tiem.) Of
Georgia suggested that If the Hay
Pauncefote treaty were disregaIded and
the canal fortified and then war occurred
between Japan and the United States.
Every nation under Gods heaven would
be arrayed against the United States and
the Notifications would amount TO moth
ing
Il think they would" remarked the
general.
do YOU not put a chip your shout
there every day."
Decidedly no" replied Gen Wood, IF
we do not fortify We leave ourselves en-
tirely unprotected and open the way not
only to the seizure and holding of the
canal against our own commerce by
whoever may be our enemy, but also
give him an opportunity to destroy it or
use II exclusively. The policy Of not for
tifying the canal and depending on the
rood will OF other countries to keep 1t
open in time OF war would be equivalent
to deliberately flaming to exercise rea-
sonable precautions. We should give our
enemies an opportunity to stick knife
IN our back.
The way TO keep a knife from being
thrust In the back remarked MI Liv-
insston drily. lis to be friendly to the
people who hold the knife
Gen. Wood wound up mis- portion of
his testimony by declaring that the
great nations OF the world would I'd
IN az fools not to fortify the canal alb
selu<ely and unqualihedly."
Location Of Batteries.
Discussing the location OF batteries Gen
Wood said 1t was proposed to protect the
canal against any injury by gunfire or
from ships entering the canal for the
purpose Of destroying the dam.
I'VE propose to protect the locks and
dam by earthworks and redoubts in the
Immediate vicinity against the opera
tion OF explosives" he said.
IF your batteries were Of sufficient
caliber and force" said Representative
Malby (rep.. New York;. ARE they so
located as to protect the dam and
lecks against the approach OF an en-
Absolutely replied Gen. Wood
"Our batteries have very wide range