The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-01-22
ROOT DENOUNCES
ATTITUDE OF j. s. ON
PANAMA CANAL TOLL
Delivers Vigorous Speech
Before the Senate
Yesterday
WILL CALL MEETING TO
TAKE UP AMENDMENT
Senator Declares Country Guilty Of
False Pretences' if Ii Refuses
to Submit the Questions In
volved to Arbitration

Washington, January 91.-"shall we n-
form the world that the Unite1 status
is false to its agreements, false to its
pledged word? Shall we have il mado
known the world over that you must
look out for the United States or 1t
will get the advantage of you? That
it is a state, cunning, slippery21
With this vigorous denunciaton Of the
attitude of this country in the Panama
canal controversy with Great Britain.
Senator Elihu Root closed two-hour
speech in the Senate today with an
appeal of that section OF the canal law
that would give free passage to Ameri-
can coastwise ships.
Speaking from the experience OF
member OF President Roosevelt cabinet
when the Panama canal zone was pur-
chased. and when over % arbitration
treaties were made with foreign nations,
Senator Root delivered the most vigorous
speech that has been heard in the Sem
ate for some time
To Take Up Amendment
He said In bis speech that Senator
Brandegee viii call meeting within
few days to take up Senator Poot
dulehuhltHts isfi DS SeudtofS isoot tsAs
Brandegee, both of whom opposed tile
original passage of this provision, ce-
termined effort viii be made at this ses-
sion of Congress to change the law l,e-
fore II goes iato effect at the canal.
so that the cause of dispute with Great
Britain will be removed.
Senator Root declared the United
States would violate all of its pledges
nd ,fQaa IN La
guilty of false pretenses' in rs advo-
cacy of arbitration, and would proclaim
itself Indifferent to national honor aud
integrity. IL 1t refused to submit arb-
tration, or to retreat from the unjust po-
stion ii had taken.
He declared free coastwise tolls to
American ships were Illegal unless the
same concessions were made to foreign
ships. The claim that the United STATES
had domestic rights oTcr the canal. e
cause IL owned the oanal zone eonsti-
tuted violation of the express guaraR-
tee of the United States to Great Brit
ain he said.
| 1T is not our territory except in
| trust" he declared. Treaty or 70
treaty, we have long asserted that the
nations of Central America had no right
TO debar the world from its right OF
passage across the isthnus Upon that
we based the Justice Of our entire ae-
tion, which resulted in our having tho
canal zone
| The United States had preached arbi-
| tration for years, Senator Root de-
clared. and had besought the nations Il
the world ''in season and out of sea-
son. to enter into arbitration agreements
for the settlement of all Disputes
Are we Pharisees?" he cried. Have
we been ipsincefe and false? Have We
been pretending in all these long years
of declaration? Are we ready now 10
admit that our country, through its
presidents and congresses, have been
guilty of false pretenses. of humbug. of
taking to the galleries to secure APP
plause? Because Of the interests we pro-
pose to falsify every declaration, every
promise, by the arrogant insistence that
we alone can determine the interpreta-
ton of this treat2; that we will refuse to
abide by the treaty.
And Is the game worth the candie'
Is IL worth our while to remain in a po-
sition, to main ain which we may he
driven to repndiate our principles, our
professions and our agreements for he
purpose of conferring money benefit at
the expense of the treasury of the United
States, on the most highly and aban-
lutey protected special industry in tine
United States-o1r coastwise shipping