The Washington herald., 1913-03-17
CANAL DISPUTE
IS ARBITRAbLE
Carnegie Trustees Favor Re.
peal Of Canal Act if Hague
Submission Fails.
PRINCIPLE IS AT STAKE
United States Should Be Scupulous in
Exact Observance Of Treaty
Oblisations.

In the event of failure to arbitrate, re.
peal of so much of the Panama Canal &C,
which grants free passage through the
canal to American vessels engaged in tho
coastwise trade is urged by the trustees
Of the Carnegie endowment for public
peace, in a statement made public last
night.
The argument is made that Great Brit
ain has raised fair issue regarding the
Interpretation of the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty in her protest against the free tolls
clause of the treaty, and the the United
states government cannot refuse to arbi-
trate the question unless the cause of the
protest is removed. Therefore, declare the
trustees, the clause in the law to which
objection has been taken should be re-
pealed, in order that the good faith of the
United States with regard to the Panama
canal shall be made clear to the world.
The statement is signed by Joseph II.
choate, Andrew D. White, Charles w.
Eliot. John l.. Cadwalader, Elihu Root,
Luke E. Wright. Charlemagne Tower, r.
5. Woodward, Austen G. Fox, J. G..
Schmidlapp, Robert s. Brookings. Oscar
:. Straus, Samuel Mather. James l.. Slay-
den. Charles L. Taylor, Henry Pritchett.
William NJ. Howard. Robert A. Franks.
Nicholas Murray Butler. Arthur William
FostN, and James Brown Scott
Trustees Statement.
After reviewing the circumstances under
which the Clayton-Bulwer and Hay
PaunCefote treaties with Great Britain
were negotiated. and the legislation by
Congress of last summer. and the British
protest against the free tolls clause. the
statement. in part. reads as follows:
In a special sense the United States
is bound to observe faithfully and with
out question the treaty of April, 1905; for
the United States has been among gov
ernments the great advocate of arbitra
tion, has practised ii in important cases,
and has urged il strongly on all other
governments. The United States cannot
refuse to arbtrate the difference which
mas arisen concerning the proper inter
probation of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty.
without turning its back on a very hon
orable chapter in its own history. and
damaging throughout the. world the
cause of free institutions. The republic
ought to be the most SCrupulous of all
governments in the exact observance of
treaty obligations. 1t must be faithful
to its word. even to its own hurt.
Assuming that the difference which
has arisen concerning the construction
of the HayPauncefote treaty must he
arbitrated unless the cause of the diff
ference can be withdrawn. We desire to
ency of promptly repeating that action
of Congress which gave rise to the diff
nculty.
Commercialism Decricd.
The greatest interest of the United
states as free nation is to represent
worthily before the world the principles
of civil and religious liberty. and the
0ublic efficiency and we'll being which
those principles develop. and thereby to
promote the adoption of these principles
tie world over. This is a great material
well great moral interest. In
comparison with this large interest, the
interest of the United States in its coast
wise vessels sinks into insignificance. BY
securing the repeal of that part of the
act of Congress on the Panama Canal
which provided for tn" exemption OF
American Coastwise vessels from the
payment Of tolls. the American people
would embrace d precious opportunity
to prove that they understand their high
est interest, and recognize their duty to
promote it fer the benefit Of mankind.