Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-19
CANAL NEUTRALITY.

~ Inc request OF COl. HOSIuoiS, 6o'
u. ernor of the Panama canal zone, for
4 two gun boats to be used in enforc-
ling law at the canal, is very i'm
Xportant episode at this time.
IA The talk and meetings for univer-
nv al peace were postponed in this coun-
81 Try while the people were so buslly
engaged collecting boat loads OF pro-
II visions and money for the Belglans,
u and ship loads of Christmas presents
n for the children of the war stricken
u countries. Many of those ship ioads
10 of goods have been sent on their way,
81 and just as congress convenes and the
~ politicians and citizens could again
a take up the discussion of whether we
IN should make the canal zone one or
n strict neutrality and absolutely un-
Fortified, the action OF some Engllsh
ooats have made that discussion
,bout impossible.
What will be the use OF lot OF
International agreements as to the
Panama canal zone if there is no way
IA 70 make nations live up to the agree
slment?
II What good will it do to enact laws
= If there is no power to enforce them!
How can representative OF our
nation be placed in a more embar-
RAISING position than is Col. Goethals?
Boats arrive and drop their anchor
or tie up to the wharves OF the canal
zone and do as they please without
q observing even the health regulations
when they arrive, or any OF the usual
q requirements when they leave. They
#snap their fingers at Col. Goethals IN
command there, and he is helpless
n It is the irony of fate that in spite
a of the fact that England raised the
u greatest protest of any nation IN re-
Asard to the exemption OF canal tolls
Dor the boats of the United States,
mat her boats are the first ones COM
glained of as to violations Of the neu-
rality of the canal zone. 1t was very
@Iargely due to the attitude or Eng
Ssland that President Wilson repudlateo
SMhis -utterances in his campaign
Nspeeches regarding the canal zone, ana
lso repudiated the democratic plat
Aorm on the same proposition. II
Gems that England regards herself
as the favored nation" in the Pana-
ma canal matter.
# It is ridiculous to claim that the
sSInglish commanders involved did not
(8know the International rules govern
fling such nations. They did know
4 what they were doing. But England
is at war with other nations and 1t IS
not going to let some formality stand
\ In the way of winning.
y Neither would the United States if
Dit was at war.
4 When an individual is fighting for
4 his life, he is going to save it If he can
AIf in his effort to do so he runs against
Esome bystander and knocks him down,
Nit will simply be reckoned by the one
who is fighting as something that nap
pened in his effort to save himself
Nations are composed Of individuals.
This makes the nation depend upon
individual efforts. Collective effort IS
&simply the effort of a group OF In
Individuals acting in unison. DlHerent
#groups are under the leadership and
%direction of different men. Some men
will pay some attention to formalities
and others will not One individual in
sun GENTLY responsible position can
involve nation. The population OF
that nation will differ as to whether
| his action should or should not be en-
dorsed If large majority of the
people of that nation should decide
to endorse the action of the official,
even to the extent of enforcing its de-
! mands. then such action might at any
Time result in war If large majority
\ Of the nation condemned his action,
then the proper authorities would be
guided by what the population de-
5nanded and make satisfactory apoi
pgy.
! We cannot help but feel that ex-
President Roosevelt was right when
/ he said that there could be conditions
arise between nations which could not
and would not be arbitrated.
Furthermore we feel that it is daily
ybecoming more apparent that it Is not
only necessary to intensely fortify the
\ Panama canal, but more than that, 1t
Ms necessary to keep battleships at
leach end of it large enough to guar
hntee that the laws and rules that
aave been laid down to govern it are
lenforced and lived up to.
MAKING STRAW MEN.
President Wilson in his message,