The Washington times., 1914-05-23
Mr.. BORAHS PROPOSITION

| Senator Borah, though one of thu
youngest Senators. has won himself
! an enviable repute as lawyer and {
clear thinker. His contribution
therefore, to such a question as thai
of canal tolls is sure to be listened
to and considered seriously.
The Idaho Senator takes the
! ground that if Congress shall now
repeal the free-tolls measure, it will
take a step that for all effective pur'
poses will he irrevocable. He be
lieves that, once placing the con-
struetion on the treaty that would
be indicated by repeal, it will be i'm
possible for us ever to withdraw
from that construction.
This, of course, he deduces from
consideration of the international as
poets of the matter. The pending leg
lslation is in one view only a crystal
lization of American policy concern
ing an American affair. But in an
other view it is a construction of a
contract between the United States
and its sisters in the family of ma
tions; and it appears to be the Sem
atcr's opinion that, once we giant
their extreme demands, we permit
rights to vest in that grant which
we cannot thereafter withdraw with
out their consent.
There will be disagreement on this
point; but there is a considerable
measure of impressiveness in the ar
gument. 1t suggests another reason
why the whole question of tolls or
10 tolls on any or all of American
shipping ought to be sent to The
Hague tribunal for arbitration. That
is the one decision of the matter that
would be entirely satisfactory to
other countries. There could be no
justification for protest on their part
if the decision were against them. 1t
would be apparent that the award in
favor of the United States had been
made by a tribunal whose members
represented, in general, the economic
interests hostile to this country;
therefore the more assurance that
the verdict did not give America
more than its due
Arbitration could cost this country
nothing, because it could not take
away from US any more than the Ad-
ministration's policy proposes to
yield voluntarily. 1t is one case IN
which this country, having got itself
into bad situation by dint of bad
diplomacy and an unfortunate mix
ture of domestic politics with di-
plomacy. has nothing to lose. The
worst that could happen to US
through arbitration would be to lose
all that President Wilson would have
US give away. Perhaps it will seem
to the President, and to other gen.
erously disposed persons, that we
could with better grace grant volun-
tarily rather than have an interna-
tional lawsuit. But this is hardly
an affair for generous and free
handed consideration. The canal will
be vital concern of this nation so
long as there is a canal. 1t will be
increasingly important to US with
every passing year. More and more
will our national security, our do
mestic and likewise our foreign COM
merce, and therefore our peace and
dignity before the world, depend
upon the part which the canal shall
play in our affairs. We cannot af-
ford, and it would not be the part of
true national dignity, to do more
than submit our differences to arbi-
tration. In like circumstances it is
hardly conceivable that any other
power of our standing would do 9TH
erwise, 1t becomes more apparent
With every days continuance of the
in the Senate that arbi-
at The Hague is the one prop
er, dignified and permanent settle
ment of the question.