Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-22
BROAD EQUALITY
IN CANAL USAGE
Keynote Of Senator Roots
Support of the Act for
Tolls Repeal.
REAL COAsTWIsE TRAFFIC
NOT FOR THE WATERWAY
Holds Hay.Pauncefote Treaty Calls
for Same Treatment to All in Use
of Panama Waterway.

Senator Root, republican member OF
the foreign relations committee held the
Senate in rapt attention for five hours
yesterday. speaking in support Of the adj
mtnistration bill to repeal the tolls ex-
emption clause Of the Panama canal law.
As the New York senator sat down. SEN
ator Kern. democratic floor leader. led
the applause from the floor and spec
tators in the galleries Joined in :.
The burden Of the speech was to prove
that the Hay-Pauncefote treaty provided
that the treatment accorded BY the
United States to its own citizens in the
use Of the Panama canal must be the
same as the treatment to be accorded
the citizens of all other nations.
Senator Root declared that the United
States always had insisted on this broad
principle Of equality, and insisted that
the understanding of Henry White.
Joseph H. Choate, John Hay and Theo-
dore Roosevelt. the Americans who ne
souated the treaty. was that the equality
mentioned in the convention was the
broad equality which had marked Ameri-
can diplomacy.
Overseas Trade for Canal.
Taking up the question as to whether
the coastwise trade Of the United States
should be differentiated from the over
seas trade in the use Of the Panama
canal. Senator Root declared that he did
not believe there would be any real coast
wise trade through the Panama canal.
II there was any real coastwise trade
OF this country to pass through the ca
nal. said Senator Root IT would not
question our right to treat 1t In a differ
ent manner from the overseas trade But
no raj coastw1se. traffic Of this country
can go through the Panama canal, which
Is over thousand miles from our shores
The trade that will go through it is. in
kind. overseas trade. Yet that kind of
trade is included under our statute and
has the benefit Of this exemption.
The discrimination is solely between
kinds Of trade, between the kinds OF
trade in American ships and the kind car
Canada, Mexico, the Central and South
American countries will have the same
kind of trade through the canal as will
the United States. Germany will have
the same kind of trade between her ports
and her possessions, the Caroline Islands,
England will have the same kind between
her ports and Hongkong.
THE basis of the discrimination, there
fore, is nothing but the flag, and this Is
not in conformity with the rule of equal
Great Britain's Real Attitude.
I'VE are told that we must repeal this
law at the behest of Great Britain. What
has she said to us?" Senator Root read
extracts from communications from Sir
Edward Grey to show that England had
only asked for arbitration of this matter
of exemption of coastwise vessels.
Does that sound like a behest? Is
there anything arrogant about that?" de-
manded Senator Root. Arbitration when
we ask it. Oh. yes. But when another
nation wants it. never, never. furl the
American flag.
"Why are we here discussing this repeal
bill when Great Britain has only asked
for arbitration of the question at issue?
Former President Taft, former President
Roosevelt. many of the senators, l myself
have declared for arbitration. President
Wilson is devoted to arbitration.
I'VE are here because two-thirds of the
Senate would not agree to submitting
this question to arbitration" declared
Senator Root in solemn tones. when ]
first discussed this matter early last year
I spoke in favor of arbitration, but I