The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-28
Contention Absurd

"The contention of those advocating the British claim seems almost absurd when we recognize that if We admit them for vessels of commerce the same reason ing will require us to admit them for vessels of war.
 "To do so would convert the canal in time of war into a liability instead os ar asset
 "Of course we made no such contract. We give to all nations observing certain rules adopted by us certain privileges in the canal. That did not mean that we proposed to build canal at our own ex- pcnse and then surrender its sovereignty to all other nations.
 Let me read the strong and unam- biguous article of the treaty, which says:
 It is agreed that the canal may be constructed under the auspices of the gov ernment of the United States. either directly at it's own cost, or by gift or lean of money to individuals or corpora lions. through subscriptions to. or pur- e.iasers of stock or shares, and that, subject to the provision of the present treaty. the said government shall have and enjoy all rights incident to con struction well as the exclusive right of providing for the regulation and man agement of the canal
 We have contracted in article not
  of any particular belligerent by an adop- tion of rules of neutrality to be applied hy and to other nations as the condi tion under which we allow them to use the canal.
 But, aside from the obligation of neu- trality we have in article ? full free dom of action. There Is nothing to pre- vent our making reciprocal concessions to other nations. This has been recog- f,ized by our government and conceded without protest by Great Britain for the Hay-Bunau-Varilla treaty extended spe- cial privileges to Panama by granting it's ships free tolls.
 Right Not Denied
 There is no word that even by impli- cation denies our right to give free tolls to our vessels in any trade and the day will yet come when we will free our yes sells from tolls in the foreign trade.
 But we have yet to consider the most serious surrender that the advocates of the British contentious desire 10 make that is, to make the admission that we a:c not sovereign in the canal zone
 'The report No. 362 of the majority of the committee, on page [. makes the dam aging admission which l will read:
 So instead of being an American waterway to be opened as a gratuity to the world in conformity to our local policy as to rivers and harbors, the Panama canal is by these binding treaties an international waterway, to be operated under the terms of these treaties with equal treatment to the people and subjects of all nations, it being foreign coun- try and constructed by the consent of other nations. under binding covenant. that runs with the enterprise.
 By your vote you are asked to ratify for all time to come. the British desire that we surrender sovereignty of the canal zone and admit that 1t is an inter- national waterway in which we have no rights that are not possessed by all other nations.
 "The statement made by the majority of the committee on interstate and npr- eign commerce is manifestly unsound and without the warrant of single fact behind it.
 'Our governmental status on the canal zone was established and fixed by treaty made with the republic of Panama subsequent to the making of the Hay Pauncefote treaty. Great Britain remain ed silent after the publications of this treaty and allowed us to build the canal under it, and she is estopped now to deny the right we acquired under this treaty with Panama.
 Reads Article
 T will read article of the treaty:
 The republic of Panama grants to the United States all the rights, power and authority within the zone mentioned and described in article of this agree ment and within the limits of all auxiliary lands and water mentioned and descrfb- ed in sai6 article 2, which the United States would possess and exercise if 1t were sovereign of the territory within which said lands and water are located to the entire Exclusion of the exercise by the republic of Panama of any sov- ereign rights. power or authority
 The republic f Panama acquired the sovereignty over the land through which tho canal was built in the same manner the original 13 states of this