Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-26


United States, Andrew Carnegie, Joseph
H. Choate. John w. Foster, George Gray,
William w. Morrow Richard Olney.
Horace Porter, Jacob: NJ. Dickinson and
Oscar s. Straus.
Executive Council.
j. III. Latane was elected a member of
Other members reelected for the same
term were Senator A. o. Bacon of Geor-
gia, Frank c. Partridge of Vermont.
Prof. Leo s. Rowe Of Pennsylvania, F.
r. Coudert of New York. E. p. Wheeler
of New York. A. H. Snow Of the District
Of Columbia and Prof. w. r. Manning of
Texas.
Prof James w. Garner of the Univer-
sity of Illinois answered in the negative
the question. HAS the United States the
right to exclude from the use OF the
sells, such as railway-owned vessels?"
Other speakers during the morning were,
Thomas Raeburn White of Philadelphia.
Prof. Amos s. Hershey of Indiana Uni
versity. Edmund F. Trahue of Kentucky,
Prof. N. d. Harris of Northwestern Uni
versity and Gen. P. c. Haynes, U. s. A.,
retired.
Prof Garner said that the exclusion
Of railroad and trust owned vessels
from use Of the Panama canal is moth
ing less than a penalty for violation Of
"a law Of the United States which has
nothing to do with the protection or
conduct Of theacanal. strict adherence
treaty. he said. means the freedom as
well as equality. to all nations OF OPP
portunity.
Question an Open One.
The question is an open one, he de-
clared. and is simply a matter of treaty
interpretation. and unless the pro-
visions of the canal act which have
caused the dispute are modified or re-
pealed. the obligation OF the United
States to accept the proposal Of Great
Britain to submit the question to arbi-
tration is one WHICH the United States
cannot honorably refuse"
Answering the question, rs 1t necessary
in international law that injury actually
be suffered before justifiable action
arises?' Thomas Raeburn White de-
clared that it would be a good thing in
to establish the precedent in the mega
tive of this question. A letter from Prof
John Westlake of Great Britain. now
dead. taking almost the same view, was
read by James Brown Scott, secretary Of
the society.
Edmund F. Trahue Of Kentucky said
that the United States should agree to
arbitrate the question. since this is no
on its traditional policy.
The annual banquet OF the society win
be held tonight. F. o. Coudert will act
as toastmaster. and the speakers will be
the minister from Norway: the minister
from the Netherlands. Representative
Slayden OF Texas and A. B. Hart.
Divergent Views Expressed.
Divergent views regarding the right Of
the United States to exempt its coastwise
vessels from the payment Of Panama ca
nal tolls were expressed yesterday In pa
pers read before the meeting. Most Of the
principal speakers however, agreed with
Richard Olney. former Secretary Of State,
who held this country was entirely with
in its rights. as the owner of the canal, to
make whatever rules 1t desired regarding
the canal.
Equally divergent views were expressed
as to whether the payment by the gov
eminent of a subsidy equal to the
amount Of the tolls to American ships
would be a violation OF existing treaties
The right to grant subsidies, when not
expressly prohibited by treaty, was not
controverted.
In the discussions that followed. many
of the extemporaneous speakers opposed
the idea that the United States had a
right to exempt its vessels from tolls. and
contended that such an act would be
contrary to all existing treaties and would
bring dishonor upon the country.
Harvard Opinion on Subsidy.
During the afternoon session Prof. Eu-
gene Wambaugh OF the Harvard Law
School declared that there were many
reasons for the belief that the United
States was included within Me meaning
Of the clause.
Horace G. Macfarland of Washington
maintained that subsidy to American
ships Of an amount equal to their canal
tolls would be discrimination prohibited
by the treaty. William NJ. Collier, former
minister to Spain, argued against this
view.
The night session was given over to a
discussion of the effect of coastwise ex-
enption on canal tolls and whether the
United States had the right to exclude
from the use Of the canal any class OF
foreign, vessels. The speakers were En-
DRY r. johnson. special commissioner on
Panama canal tolls and traffic; N.
Dwight Harris OF Northwestern Univer-
sity. Chicago, and John Foster Dulles OF
New York.
American Tolls Needed for Expenses.
Prof johnson submitted voluminous
statistical tables which he declared in
dicated that the United States would need
| to collect tolls from the owners of the
| ships engaged in the American coastwise
trade in order to secure sufficient revenue
| to meet the canals current expenses and
capital charges. He argued that political
prudence as well as sound methods of
| public financiering made 1t desirable to
require those who derive immediate bene-