The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-11
EX-SECRETARY KNOX SAYS TOLLS REPEAL PROPOSAL /
RUNS COUNTER TO INTERNATIONAL LAW AND FACTS|
Rules Regarding Use Of
Canal. He Asserts. Attest
American Sovereignty
Both i'm Peace
and War.

ton OF the parties 70 the subject Of the
treaty shows that the United States, the |
grantor cf conditional privileges In the |
canal TO all nations. parted. with no patti |
Gle OF It's rights of ownership In the prop |
erty or subjected Its owe Use OF tho canal |
to the conditions Il imposed upon tie |
bencHciar.es Of Its generosity.
HAS the United States bound Itself cot |
TO use the canal II Il should exercise q |
right OF war or act of hostility within u; |
X II should revictual Its saips or taie !
stores In the canal: II II should embark
or discrbark troops vita.n the canal; n |
its vessels OF war Should remain within |
the waters LONGER than twenty-tovr hours, |
and if go who Is going TO enforce these
rules upon the United states. ard Will our
obedience to thea be compelled b. the
guns we are planting there for tie protec-
ton OF the canal?
Does not such view OF ovr rights
invite all other nations TO war with US
it We, during an actual state OF war use
the canal for any military purposc9 In
snort would NO no: t.us make ali
nations the allies OF our immediate ad-
vernry II We have asresSl with all
nations through Great Br,ta.. taat the
rules Wa prescribe co. the use OF the
canal apply to ourselves. tae e.a.to.s
of the use?
Let US see low G:eat B,1tai. meets
this embarrassment. ~ Edward Grey
seek 70 avoid the application 90 tac
United States OF all the rules N Ar..c.
III. except ru.o b. saying. Now that
the United states has become practical
sovereign OF the canal his Majesty's Gov.
eminent do not question It's title 70 exe--
cise bell!gereat rights for Its prOtect.on
Exemption Of CniteA states.
That is to say. our subsequently, ae-
quired sovereignty automatically exempts
US from the application of five Of The
rules 10 be Observed by ali nations as
condition for tho use OF tho canal bu.
our ownership Plus our Sovereignty does
not exempt us from the othc. one
Now. II tho right 20 protest the canal
anu the -.Sh: 20 protect ourselves b.
exercising privileges IN ami aoou. TIE
canal. denied ~ other nations l,y .,,-
rules Is an lnciden; 20 our sovereignty
and thus takes the United Statcs out O.
the meaning o! the general words Ill
.iations.' the right 20 promote our do
nestle commerce IL q field exclusively It's
own is an incident o: sovereignty aid
ownership having TIE same effect:
To deny the free use OF our own canal
for our own vessels Is Jus: as much an
impairment OF our sovereignty as to deay
cur right to exercise acts Of oellixerency
u. ana Tor Its protection And the I'M
plicatlon mat We have rot surrendered
one OF these sovereign powers by tho use
under the first rule. which Is our con.cn.
! ton. as 1t is under the other five which
| Is Sir Edward Grey's contention.
Practical Sovereignty which. as
Great Britain claims, permits US at on.
own expense and risk TO defend the canal.
! TO maintain Its neutrality and to exc!u-
sively exercise bell!gerent rights within
It's boundaries In time OF war, imoprts
10 Its posscsor no higher title or privi-
reyes than does sovereignty and ownership
| In time of peace. our rights In peace
bear Just relation 10 our obligations In
war The benefits OF sovereignty go hand
/, In hand with its burdens.
| Sovereign Rights.
| I'm further Illustration Of this point /, is
very interesting 10 note and consider the
admitted effect of another statement IN
the British protest II reads. "A; the date
or the signature OF the ay-Pauncefo;e
treaty the territory on which the !sthmian
| canal was 10 be constructed did not be-
long TO the United States and consequently
there was no need to insert In the draft
treaty articles preserving sovereign rights
In fine. the fact that We were MOI.
sovereign over the canal when the treaty
was made excuses us for not reserv.ng
sovereign rights. But In tho very next
sentence the protest states the effect OF
our subsequently acquired sovereignty was
TO read into the treaty sovereign powers
anu merely exempted the United states
from me CONDITIONS prescribed 10 govern
the use OF the canal by all nations.
me periec,i! SOUND principle involved
N al! TINS. ana 30 frankly admitted by Sir
Edwarn' is that Where sovereignty exists
the exercise OF us attributes need not be
reserved, they ar. Implied. and this Is the
reason why John Hay. scholar and states
man. tan1!iar win ana guided by accepted
principles felt under no compulsion To re-
serve the rights incident TO what ne char