New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-10
Great Britain'S Own Reminder
Leads Bryan to Take Steps .
Toward Continuing
Convention.
NEW PLAN OF SETTLEMENT
Iy 1t All Nations Engaged Ex
clusively in Domestic Com
merce Would Enjoy
Free Use of
Canal.

Washington. May 9.-The Secretary
Of state has instructed his subordinates
to take the preliminary steps toward
the immediG'e renewal of the general
treaty of arbi ~ation with Great Britain.
which expires by limitation June ). ON
the advice Of the President. Secretary
Bryan will not seek To incorporate in
j the new treaty any Of the features Of
his general peace plan. the details Of
which he recently explained to the
Committee on Foreign Relations.
The administration believes Great
Britain will be ready To renew the OK
isting treaty>this opinion being drawn
from an informal reminder of the ap-
preaching expiration which was con
veyed to Mr.. Bryan by the former
British Ambassador. Mr.. Bryce.
There was a time whom tho British
Foreign Office thought seriously Of de-
cIinin9 to renew the existing conven-
ton unless the United States would
consent to arbitrate the Panama Canal
tolls controversy. provided that were
not disposed Of by purely diplomatic
methods. This attitude Of Great Britain
was the occasion Of some anxiety TO
this administration. but for reasons
which are not explained Great Britain
has apparently decided to abandon that
position.
At least. that is the inference drawn
by the Department of State from the
friendly. although guarded. expressions
of the former British Ambassador.
Way Out Of Contention.
\ wholly new method of settling the
canal tolls controversy with Great
Britain will receive the careful con-
sidcration of Secretary Bryan and his
advisers as soon as the Japanese Cali
fornia question and other engagements
permit of his giving thoughtful consid-
erntion 10 any other subject
This suggestion is that the Panama
Canal act be amended to provide that
the ships Of "siI nations" engaged ex'
clusiveiy in domestic commerce shall
enjoy free passage through the canal.
Such provision. il is argued. would
be in entire accord with the le.ter as
we'll as the spirit OF the guarantee Of
the Hay Pauncefote treaty that the
ships Of "all nations" shall receive equal
treatment.
In effect it would benefit 70 material
extent only Canada and Mexico, and
20 very small extent the nations OF
Central and South America. which. il is
asserted, the United States would
GLADLY treat with generosity.
It is maintained by those who have
been giving the subject some serious
thought that this provision would not
entail anv serious loss Of revenue To-
the Panama Canal. as the domestic
shipping OF those nations which could
utilize the canal would be very linn
tied. Gioat Britain would not. of
course. profit 10y the provision. which
would be so worded as 10 preclude
commerce between Great Britain and
it's colonial possessions, even if to
achieve that end IL were necessary to
preclude from the privilege commerce
between the United States and its in
sular possessions. Canada, on the
other hand. would benefit materially
from the suggested amendment. but IL
is pojnted out. the commercial and geo
eraphical relations of the United States
and Canada are such as TO make far
from undesirable certain community
Of interest in the canal.
May Be Due to Bryce.
Whether any intimation that consid-
Grafton Of this method OF settling the
| Panama Canal controversy mas
reached Great Britain is not known.
! II II has. and the suggestion is looked
upon as practicable and graceful
method of disposing Of the difficulty, II
may have played some part in altering
the view of the Foreign ONCE regarding
| the advisability OF renewing the exist
| inc arbitration convention. There is
some disposition in the Department of
State. however, TO attribute the change
I'm the attitude of Great Britain to an
other phase of the situation and to The
friendlv offices OF the recent ambassa-
dor. Mr.. Bryce.
Those who realize the important
hearing which the general arbitration
treatv with Great Britain has on the
roIations Of Great Britain and Japan
and OF Great Britain with the United
c,a,os are DISPOSED to attribute To that
hearing no little of the influence which
has favorably disposed Great Britain
IN the renewal Of the treaty. The Brit
ish.Iananese treaty. IT will be recalled.
.,nhodies a specific provision inserted
s,rin. tho neriod when the Canadian
recinrocity treaty was pending, which.
whiIe Il makes no reference to the re-
,a,;ors NJ Creat Britain and the United
states was adopted subsequently, To
the negotiation of the British Japanese
treaty and added thereto as IA sort OF
codiciI with the specific purpose of af-
fecting the relations OF this country
and Great Britain.
Tbat provision is in effect that should
Continued on second page, fourth column.