The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-04-28
WANTS A GIVE-AWAY.

A few days ago we had n cablegram
70 the effect that the Norwegian Min
lister Of State had declared in meet
ling of the Society Of International Law
in London, that the Panama canal
Ought TO be free for the use of all ma
tions. This sentiment was echoed by
other European public men attending
that meeting Of the Society. The ef-
feet of this was to give notice to the
United States, as well az to the world
ut large, that there is no European SEN
timent that would recognize American
rights in the canal which we have built
at so great n cost nt Panama. We built
the canal. TO be sure, but still it must
be FOR the free use of all the world. We
must also keep up at our own cost this
free waterway and consider it just the
same as if it had been the natural force
of the elements that had opened a
grade channel, giving free access from
the Atlantic to the Pacific waters,
By reason of this well-known atti-
tude of European public men with re-
proposed by those persons of reason
ably level heads who have spoken for
arbitration on any phase of the canal
question, that there should be 4 special
arbitration commission to consider the
question. None has been so absolutely
dead to the certainty that any arbitra-
tion of the canal by the Hague tribu-
nal would be against us, as to urge that
any question at all relating TO the canal
should be submitted to that tribunal.
Undoubtedly any arbitration by the
Hague tribunal would not only be
against the United States, but with
equal certainty, if the whole case
should be submitted to that tribunal
the canal would be taken away from
the United States altogether and given
over TO an international commission
which would conduct it as a world af-
fair with the United States having
nothing 10 say about it, except possibly
to pay the cost of operating it.
And yet we have decided and def
mite expression from the American So
ciety of international Law that this is
exactly what we should do: that we
should submit the whole matter TO the
Hague tribunal. and that we are under
both moral and international obliga.
tions to do so. That is, we are under
moral and international obligations to
give away the canal to those who are
standing ready 10 seize it.
II is extraordinary that any Ameri-
can should take such view as this.
The fact that they do take this view
shows that they have lost all sense of
proportion, of proprietary right, and of
national honor, to say nothing about
national advantage.
Nothing is more certain than that
any question whatever submitted by
the United States TO the Hague tribu.
nal would 90 against this country with
out any regard at all to the merits Of
the ease. Every one who would sit
upon the arbitration board or jury, or
whatever it might be called, would be
against the United States on every
proposition that could be proposed
where there was even the shadow of
basis to build upon, There is, in fact,
a United Europe against the United
States, ready TO fleece this country at
any time and upon any question; and
whereas our citizens from time TO time
dwell strongly upon questions of inter.
national right, of morality, of Justice
and of treaty obligations, none of these
things would in the least intefere in
the minds OF European diplomats and
pubicists with their skinning the
United States on any question what,
ever when the opportunity might afford
for tho sloinning
At the American meeting referred to-
Mr. Hannis Taylor, evidently consid
ering the Colombian claim as the con.
trolling matter in tho whole business
was troubled lest we should fail 10 re.
spond to an invitation for international
arbitration, which quite likely would
give the Europeans who might arbi.
trate our rights, the opportunity to
take our property away from us, and
turn the canal over 20 Colombia. under
the pretense that we had robbed Co.
lombia Of her Panama dependency and
that our title TO the canal and the canal
zone was so tainted with fraud that it
could not be maintained
What with Americans who are trou
bled with representative eonsciences
and Europeans birds of prey 10 take
advantage of every opportunity, the
United States is liable TO get into very
serious difficulties by wishy wnshy poll.
eies, unless our administration braces
up and gets little iron in its blood