The Cairo bulletin., 1914-03-10
London Law Revies, Uneuestioned
British Authority, Comedies
American Rights.
TRY TO AROUSE PREJUDICE
ACCOUNT SHIPPING TRU:T
Presidents Staunchest Supporters
Admit He Faces Greatest Battle
OF Political Life.

We ought to reverse our action
without raising the question whether
we were right or wrong, and so once
more deserve our reputation for gen.
erosity ana the REDEMPTION OF
EVERY OBLIGATION without quih-
ble OF hesitation. President VIII
sons message Of March : advocating
repea! Of the classe exempting
American coastwise shipping from
the payment Of Panama Canal tolls.
Some time ago the United states
declined TO inclnde the toll clause
among the questions susceptible. ID
arbitration, 50 vital waa ii regard [.
ed
Today President Wilson proposes
to aLrogate it,
The matter is not yet settled, bur
there Is every indication that London
diplomacy viii score an important
victory over Washington and the
lrigAt OF Americans to be absolute
in their own sphere win have beer
relinquished, and dependency placed
on foreign powers.
President Wilson, when Il candi-
date, toon the position that the ex-
lemptioa clause was in conformity.
with the Hay Paunceiote treaty. 1t
was Incorporated as one If tas
Iplanks in the Democratic platform
and he warmly cspoused it unon tie
Istlmp. IL it was in conformity tbur
with the treaty, it stiil Is IN strict
Iaccord.
President Wilson is supported ia
his prediction opinion BY bost OF
lawyers exceedingly we'll versed in
international law, incmding an ex-
president several secretaries OF state
and host u others.
famous British law authority
conceded that the United States had
the rigat to exempt its own ship
ping from the payment Of Panama
Canal tolls. The London Law Re-
view, the highest authority among
Britain's legal publications, in Vol
ume IS, Pages / to 81, November,
1912, concludes a Ave thousand wora
analysis OF the Hay -Pauneefota
treaty and Of American rights in the
Panama Canal with these words;
TO sum M, it is reasonably
| atgnable:
That tho United States can
support its action on the precise
words Of the material articles
Of the treaty. that its case is
strengthened by reference 10 the
preamble and context and that
its case is dinic 1T to ehaIlonga
ON grounds of general justice.
B-That there is no interna-
tional obligation 70 submit tho
construction Of It's legislative
act to any process OF arbitra-
ton, and
C-That any agerieyed party
mas an appropriate and i'm
partial and competent tribunal
in The supreme Court OF the
United States.
Tho Panama Canal Act in
which is incorporated the clause cx.
empting American shipping from
Ipaymcnt OF Panama Canal tolls Was
passed by the Sixty-sccoud Congress.
second session. and was approved By
| William Howard Taft, president o.
the United States, August "a. 1912.
aud, consequently the London Law
| Review in commenting upon Msis
feature certainly knew al about The
exemption ella Sc. as the publication
did not appear until November. 1912
President Wilson's veiled inuendoes
of other matters. of even greater
delicacy and near consequences
have aroused members Of Congress
and they are demanding to kno.
what is implied by the words. Rep
resentatiyc Mann made a prompt :
ply to this and now an appeal to
prejudice is made" interests is the
bugaboo raised-a shipping octopus
that viii grip and hold the Ameri-
can people by the throat.
The battle royal is on and it wul
he strenuously contested. President
Wilson's stauhehcst Supporters wh,
have always obeyed without question