Evening journal., 1914-03-31
KNOMLANp FLAYs WILSON.

N her Of the House Committee Interstate ana For
eign Commerce. hayed President Wilson and his DEM
ocrac colleagues the committee in his report in
position the repeal of that portion Of the Panama
Canal act exempting American coastwse ships from
the payment Of toll when using the canal.
Il emphaticaly dissent from the views OF the ma
jority, which In the main but reiteraon OF the
arguments by Sir Edward Grey Secretary for
Foreign Affairs Great Britain, in opposition to the
position taken by Congress when IT. enacted the exist
ing canal law which American position strongly
upheld by Secretary of State Knox behalf of this
Government" he said 81 vigorously protest against
attempt the Congress of the United States
through legislative enactment, TO give British in
terpretation the HayPauncefote treaty thus sur
rendering for all future time rights vitality affecting
this nation commercially. sraegcaly, and politically.
situation unparalleled and unprecedented in history
now confronte this country The custodian Of our
rights, our agent IN dealing with foreign affairs. ad
the OF Great Britain. We left without
a spokesman. With attempt TO settle through dplo-
matte channels with suggestion looking TO the refer
ence this vital question arbitration unconditional
and complete surrender IS urged because shall not
know how to deal with other matters of greater
delicacy and consequence If you do not grant It to
me- The passage Of H. r. la,3S5, bill TO repeal GER
tain parts Of the Panama Canal act would be notice
to the world that as a result OF foreign pressure
brought at a time thought 10 be most opportune and
on the very of contamination of the greatest
evement Of the century the United States COM
PEELED to abandon traditional policy OF American
controlled canal, vigorously affirmed and ably defended
by Presidents, and to virtually surrender It's
constitutional power to regulate domestic COM
merce."
In his summing up Mr.. KnoYland objected to the
repeater for the following reasons:
l. That it would traditional policy Of
an American controlled canal
g. That would surrender valuable American rights
without any attempt settle through diplomacy or
by arbitration.
g. That it would foreclose the right of this Govern
ment to pass through the canal without the payment
OF American toll American batteships. cut
ters. colliers. transports, and other Government
craft
a. That it would inaugurate policy compeiiins
this Government TO surrender whenever foreign
power gives an Interpretation treaty to
that held by the United States; would compel to
abrogate our treaty with the Republic Of Panama and
to repeal Section II OF the canal which seeks to
prevent railroad-owned ships operating through
the waterway in competition with their rail lines
O. That it would benefit chiefly the transcontnental
railroads
g. That IL would be a compliance with the demands
OF the Canadian railroads. which the nstgators
OF the British protest
z That st would give an Interpretation to the Hay
Pauncefote treaty wholly at variance with the inter-
probation given to that instrument by Senators present
when the treaty ratified
s. That il would be abandonment of historic
policy Of free commercial intercourse between the
States
o. That it would be an Interpretation OF the treaty
affecting coastwise traffic contrary the rules laid
down by the supreme Court in the Olsen
10. That it would be admission that Great Brit
could British vessels, His Majesty's Gov
ernment does in port charges, while the United
States would be barred from according different treat
ment to its coastwse ships.
"1n concluding its report the majority declares:
better to abolish the canal itself than to per-
nit our national honor to remain in question Mr.
Knowand said. This statement should be thus
paraphrased: Far better TO abolish the canal itself
than to surrender its control a foreign power Such
a course would be a national dishonor. To acquiesce
now in the demands of Great Britain after this
ernment speaking through Secretary of State
has upheld the American position, would be nothing
less than act OF national cowardice. Heretofore
canal policy has been vigorous American policy.
An examination Of the message Of former Presidents
upon this subject extracts from which appended
TO this report clearly shows that before in
history have tolerated foreign interference in this
great American project II is one of the greatest
achievements OF this country, and no other nation
has aided Great Britain. upon whom the burden of
proof rests, has not case II is presumptu-
for any nation to demand all the benefits of part
nership and be unwilling TO assume single burden
We have reached crisis in our history"
That is bitter arraignment of the Wilsan admin
straton and the situation in Washington shows that
the spirit underlying it shared by many prominent
! Democrats. who resent President Wilson's meditated
surrender TO Great Britain