Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-29

Desire for Harmony.
PURPOSE OF UNITED STATES
Beneficence of Monroe Doctrine to
Be Accentuated in the Pan
anna Canal
+ PANAMA.. February e9.-The American
Secretary of State, Phlander G. Knox, last
night made his first formal appeal for a
closer union of the American republics.
The occasion was state dinner given by
the acting president of Panama, Rodolfe
Chiari, in honor of Mr. Knox, and. judg
ing by the applause, tho Secretary's re-
marks were received in a spirit that was
markedly sympathetic and cordial
Mr.. Knox said, in part:
Tho President of the United States be-
Ieves that the early completion Of the
Panama canal should mark the beginning
OF closer relations to all Latin America,
and especially to the Caribbean littoral.
as well as the relations of these countries
TO each other. and, impelled by the
thought that this is an ausDicious mo-
ment, through better acquaintance, 10 lay
the foundations upon which there should
rest broader confidence, a closer SYM
pathy and more practical reciprocal help
fulneSs, he has sent me hither a bearer
OF message of good will to our sister
American republics.
Speaks for Taft.
1T is the Presidents desire that might
personally meet your most hospitable
peoples, might see for myself your beau
Hful countries, with their boundless re-
sources and economic possibilities. to the
end that such direct personal knowledge,
understanding and appreciation might re-
suit In mutual advantage ana in co-Opera-
ton for the development or all our coun-
tries. Responding to the hospitality of
the country which has first and SO gen
srously received me and with which the
relations of my country are so cordially
intimate, / take this opportunity of assur-
ing all the American republics that the
purpose of the United States toward them
Is that we should 1--we In amity and essen
tial harmony, and that We desire only
that more peace, more prosperity, more
happiness and more security should come
into and become part of their individ-
ual and national lives.
while Ii is entirely clear to those who
have fairly and intelligently considered
the history oil the relations of the United
that our policies have been without a
trace of sinister motive or design, crav-
ing neither sovereignty nor territory, yet
it is true that our motives toward you
have not always been either fortunately
interpreted at home or faithfully rep
resented by some of our nationals who
have resided in your midst.
while we have much to learn of each
other and are all to be vastly prof1ted by
clear and more sympathetic ties, yet be-
tween the elder and the younger repub-
ihs there is much in common.
Not an Exclusive Heritage.
"A commonw ealth founded on freedom
OF conscience and security of indiv Qua.
rights is not an exclusive heritage.seI
Saxon America, but one shared by all
the peoples OF the hemisphere who, like
ourselves, have passed through the sor.
trials that attend the founding of two
communities IN new land. Howeye
diverse our physical environments, how
ever great the contrast between the ma
tonal obstacles to be surmounted. wheth
e. amid the siows and pine forests OF tho
north or in the sierras Of the equator
ana the pampas OIL the south, lne a-.L %
eur respective enterprises. expressed Il
the undylng words of Lincoln, has been
the same-to bring forth on this continent
new nations, conceived in liberty and
dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal.
Much has been said about the effect
Of the opening of the Panama canal, but
! believe 1t g given to few of us to real
lie what magic possibilities are potential
in that event. As l conceive it, it VIII
create for our western world an entirely
new situation. situation fraught with
possibilities vast they daze the fancy
of the mind. In this new world We must
be found drawn closer by SympathieS and
mutual esteem and working in harmony
toward beneficent ends This must be So
for our greatest interests are those that
are common to us all.
Privileges and Obligations.
I'VE who live on the western hemi-
sphere find ourselves by force of geog
raphy in circumstances which make our
situation peculiar. and this fundamental
fact gives us privileges and imposes upon
us duties and obligations we would not
otherwise have. 1t was a perception OF
this, which your own thinkers and states
men have seen as clearly our own
which prompted the announcement by
President Monroe of the great and beneti-
cent policy that now bears his name.
when the canal is opened and the
ships of all the countries of the world
come sailing through these Carib seas
the popularity Of our position, with its
special requirement, will be accumulated
and the wisdom of that doctrine be con-
firmed again and specially. 1t serves ad-
mittedly your interests as much as ours
1T is a paradox that the severance of
the physical ligament that joins the two
continents of the new world will more
closely unite them. Cuebra is the clot
in the artery of intercourse whose re-
movaI will give free and full circulation
throughout the whole organism to the
viyifying currents of friendship, peace,
commerce and prosperity
Cabinet Minister Responds.
In response. the Panaman minister of
foreign relations, Aristides Arizona, the
only other speaker of the evening, said:
We know that your mission is for inter-
national concord and union. Tell your
government that we are linked by an in
dissoluble tea Thousand reasons of graf
itude binding the United States and Pam
ama-and we know how to respond to an
invitation of an American"
Just before the speaking began much
excitement was caused by a fiashlight
which set fire to the paper decorations
The photographer and others promptly
stamped out the blaze. The diners most
Of whom remained seated, cheered
Those present at the dinner included
practically all the government officials
from the president down, the members of
the diplomatic and consular corps and
most of the prominent officials Of the
Canal Zone.
KNOX AND NAGEL ACCEPT