El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-05-28
By FREDERIC J. HASKIl


~ ARTAGENA, Colomia, May Is
In Colombia the people are far
from satisfied with the way they
were treated by the United States in
the matter Of the secession Of Panama,
and the action of the Colombian min
lister TO Washington in suggesting
that it might not be Opportune for sec
rotary Knox to visit Colombia on his
recent trip to the Caribbean was fairly
representative of the attitude of the
people of this country although 1T was
repudiated by the BOgota government.
The feeling here IS that the United
States instigated the secession and then
refused to permit the Colombian gov
eminent to put il down. The govern
ment repeatedly has asked the United
States to arbitrate the controversy
and the United States has just as often
refused, asserting that the matter at
issue is political and not legal and
that no government is willing to sub
NIT a political question to arbitration.
Claims Deliberate DespOfIatiOn.
Meanwhile the Colombian govern
ment protests that it was deliberately
despOiled of its territory in violation
of the well recognized principles Of in
ternatiOnal law. 1t asserts that the
United SGttes negotiated a treaty with
Colombia for the acquisition Of the
rights necessary to the building Of the
Panama canal and its operation after
completion, agreeing that the treaty
should not become effective untiisafter
ratification by the two governments
It further asserts that when the Co
lOmbiau government failed to rarl1y
the treaty. pressure from Washington
to force its ratification was applied,
and that when this failed the revolu-
ton in Panama followed
The BOgOta government has proposed
that the whole question be submitted
TO a board Of arbitration to consist
of three men, one chosen by each gov
eminent and the third by these two
But the Unitel States insists that no
arbitrable question is involved and that
the incident is closed. Meanwhile the
Colombian government asserts, and
says 1t viii ever assert. that Panama
belongs to Colombia, and that the
canal zone belongs to it, and that il
will continue to make this claim as
long as the question is not settled by
disinterested authorities. 1t asserts
that it does not desire to take the
canal away from the United States,
nor TO disturb its construction or Op-
Grafton. but that IL does want an ad-
judicatiOn Of the case and the pay
ment Of such damages by the United
States as its course has inflicted on
Colombia.
Fault Not That Of Uncle sam.
Secretary Hay always firmly denied
that the United states had anything
TO do with the Panama revolution he
asserted that Uncle sam simply found
q situation that threatened the closing
of the isthmian transit, and that he
exercised his treaty right TO keep II
open. Colombia had simply been in the
unfortunate role of an innocent by
stander The claim was made that II
Colombia could not put down the re-
bellion without interfering with the
transit. that was its misfortune and
not the concern Of the United states
But when Elihu Root became secre-
tary Of state and Colombia sued for
reopening Of the question, he did not
quite take that ground His attl-
tude was that even If the United States
did espOuse the cause Of Panama, that
left nothing to be arbitrated- Declar-
the rights and wrongs Of the matter
without passing upon the question
whether the cause thus espOCsed was
just, he asserted that Panama was
justified in its revolution he contend
ed that Panama was sovereign state
which was during its pleasure part
of the Colombian federation, a fedora
tiOn from which IL had the right 10
withdraw. He further cOntended that
when il was subjugated by force is
1885 the compact that bound it TO Co
lOmbia was broken; that it was held
under a foreign domination to which
il had never consented. and that II
was justly entitled TO demand its IN
dependence from a rule which was IN
lawful, oppressive and t-rannicaL he
definitely announced that the United
States was not willing to permit an
arbitrator to determine the political
policy OF the United states in follow
ing its sense Of right and justice in
espOusing Panama's cause
ROOseTelf's View.
The view taken by president EoOse-
Welt at the time was that COLOMBIA
was trying to hold up the United States
and to force the payment Of eNorbltant
sums for the privilege Of building the