Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-08-01
Warming NOTE
TO Be SOUNDED
TO THE POWERS
No Foreign Naval Bases in
Either North or South
America, Says the Senate
Committee in Resolution.

Washington, D. c., July 31.-The
senate foreign relations committee TO-
day adopted without dissent Senator
Lodges recommendation that the
United States reaffirm the Monroe
doctrine in terms clear to all the
world, and adopted resolution to ex-
press disapproval Of the purchase OF
any possible naval bases on the Amer.
lean continents by any foreign power
MagdaIena Bay Incident Cause.
The senate in an early report will
be asked to indorse the committee s
stand. A firm statement by the United
States is asked for as result OF the
Magdalena bay incident, where it was
shown that a Japanese syndicate had
been negotiating for four million acres
of land along the west coast OF lower
California in Mexico.
While the Japanese government was
found to have no connection with the
syndicate, the senate subcommittee
consisting Of Senators Lodge, Root,
Hitchcock, Sutherland and Rayner, re-
ported to the full committee today that
the circumstances afford an appropr1-
ate occasion for an expression OF the
view of the senate regarding such
cases.
The Lodge resolution, which prob
ably will be adopted, declares that the
United States cannot see without
grave concern" any harbor or al
vantageous spot in the western heml-
sphere taken over by foreign govern
menr, or by foreign corporation bear
ing close relation to the government
If such occupancy would threaten the
or the safety of the United
States.
Magdalena bay Is considered the
most advantageously located naval
base on the Pacific coast, because OF
it's relation to the western terminus o.
the Panama canal.
Makes Clear American Position.
It was said that the corporation
which had the lands to sell had ad'
vanced the argument that their pos.
session would be Of peculiar benefit
to a foreign nation. Because OF that
attitude on the part of the corporation
the committee decided to make clear
the American position on what 1t re-
CARDS as the encroachment OF foreign
powers on the western hemisphere.
Senator Lodge reported the resolu'
ton to the senate shortly after that
body met and action on it was de
ferred until tomorrow. The resolution
was as follows:
"Resolved, That when any harbor OF
other place In the American continent
is SO situated that the occupation
thereof for naval or military purposes
might threaten the commerce or the
safety of the United States the gov
ernment OF the United States could
not see without grave concern the pos
session of such harbor or other place
by any corporation or association
which has such a relation to another
as to give that govern
ment practical power of control for
national purposes
Senator Lodge was chairman Of the
subcommittee that investigated the
rumors of Japanese purchase OF
100000 acres of land on Magdalena
bay.
The senate investigation began as
the result of private report that a
Japanese syndicate was attempting tc
control vast tract about the south
ern California bay, long regarded as
the best naval base on the Pacific
coast. The correspondence submitted
to the senate In April and May by
President Taft and Secretary Of State
Knox indicated that the United States
had no intimation that Japan as a gov
ernment was behind the attempted
purchase or that it intended to make
use of the land as a military or naval
base.
It is understood that the subcom
mittee headed by Senator Lodge has
found no evidence Of the connection
of the Japanese government with the
attempted purchase Of the big tract Of
land in Mexico.
To make the position Of the United
States clear, however, the committee
propose that Congress declare that
this nation will not permit, without
a protest, the establishment Of any
foreign power at point where II
could threaten or endanger the safety
of the United States.
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