New-York tribune., 1911-01-16

our government, as distinctly expressed IN
1870 and previously, was 20 prohibit tortlA-
cations on the canal. Though THIS pTohlol-
ton was omitted IN the finally revised hay
fauncstOte treaty, signed IN 1907 TINS III no.
wise implies that We ought 70 toTtity H.
nor was It's construction proposed as prI-
marily a military undertaking.
TlIrd-BeCaUse, though the SueZ cana
was built with English money, England
agreed 10 it's naturalization. The StTan OF
Magellan - also neutra.ized, and the IN
t"Tparuamentary Union m 1910 declared III
favor Of the naturalization Of all inter-
oceanic waterways.
FOurth-BeCause the United states IN all
its history has never been attacked ana
began every foreign war II ever had. and Is
too important a customer for any great ma
ton al this late day To WantOnly attack
Though an enemy might I'm stress OF war
he tempted 10 break its pledge 20 us, no
nation would dare break It's naturalization
pledg. with the combined powers, as the
penalty Of nou-injercouyser which could be
included IN the general treaty, would in
yOlvc commercial ruin.
Fl-th-Because, with the experience Of
nearly a century peace with England, in
sureI Dy cur undeteudec Canadian border
line, until We have asked iOr complete ar
bitration treaties with all possible future
enemies and have been refused we should
1e insIuccTe ia Increasing our war meas
ures. This IS especially true in view or
the facts that since 1902. the nations have
signed one hundred arbitration treaties
and President Taft has made the impress
sive declaration that he sees no reason why
any question whatever should not be ar
rirratcd. that the second Hague Confer
eucu in various WAYS diminished the Ike.
IhOOd Of war, that not only the prize court
hut the court Of arbitral justice r. praC-
Ideally assured, and tnat IN TIE summer or
$40 Congress unanimously passed a res
,IUtiou asking the President 90 appoint
commission OF five TO consider the utllILd-
t.Or OF existing agencies 10 Unit the anna
ments Of the WOrld by mutual agreement
OF the nations and To constitute the world
vsyies "an international force for the pres
e7-vs ton OF universal peace and TO con-
.ider other means 70 diminish expenditures
for military purposes.
Sixth-Because, in the words OF the Hon.
David !. Foster. chairman or the Commit
tee OF Foreign Affairs In The House Of Rep
necessary fOrtihcatious would not be less
than S25.C10, 600. iu all probability IL would
not be less than S50.yJUOoJ. The annual
expense OF maintaiulng such fortihCauons
amount 10 S=.OU0,o00 With all the fortif
cations pos BE, u j. stlIl apparent thar IN
order that the canal might be OF military
ad,sutlge 10 the United States IN time Of
war guard Cf bdttesnips az each Ot its
entrances would be an absolute necessity
II il equally apparent tIat with such
guard the fortifcation- would DC unueces-
sary II not entirely useless We are
r,Iuyd ~ solemn treaty obligations 20 see
10 IN that the canal shall be and remain
forever omen TO British ships IN time Of
"a well a. lU tlflt OF .f'd' - sAllb "llllt
a. Is probaIly true that no other nation
SniId claim any advantage by virtue ~ this
t-sstv n is also true that We have thereby
placed ourselves under moral obligation TO
r-9intaiu an Oucn canal for the ships Of
All nations at an times, IN war as well a.
IN peace.
Other sigucrs Of the statement are Henry
Wade Rogers. dean of the Yale Law School
robn Graham brooks, lecturer on econom-
Il al 1F Ne ~
York: IDA Tarbel historian; y. O. Nelson.
manufacturer. St Louis, =. T. Wheeler at
torney, Of New York. Samuel ?. Eapen
president o. the American Board Of Com
r1issioners for Foreign Missions, Boston;
Marcus NJ Marks and Thomas Mott Os-
borne, manufacturer, Auburn, y. \.