The Washington herald., 1914-03-26
senate HAS TEXT
OF Page SPEECH
Study of Complete Address
Throws New Light on
Remarks.
CALLED TOO PRO-BRITISH
Much of Interest Revealed. Of Which
Nothing Was Told in Dispatches
- .- from London.
CALLED TOO PRO-BRITISH

Ambassador Pages own version OF the
speech he delivered at a dinner in Lon
don two weeks ago, for which he was
sharply criticised by members OF Con-
sress. was transmitted TO the Senate and
made public yesterday by secretary
Bryan.
Ambassador PAGE was most sharply
criticised for references made TO the
Panama Canal construction and the Mon
roe Doctrine. He was quoted as saying
that the United States was the more
pleased to have built THE canal because
the British would profit most by II, ana
TO have stated that the United states
preferred" that the European govern
ments do not acquire any more land IN
the Western Hemisphere.
While the full text Of the Amoassa-
doris speech shows he was quoted WIN
fair accuracy by the newspaper reports.
the context throws slightly oinereht
light on his remarks. The speech pears
throughout however, evidences OF "hat
was Characterized yesterday as too pro-
British a tone.
Remarks on Panama Canal.
Regarding the Panama Canal. the
Presidents message on the poiis qu
tion, and the tariff. the ambassador saIu.
..I will not say that we constructed the
Panama Canal even for you, for am
sneaking with great frankness ana not
with diplomatic indirection. We puiit
1t for reasons of our own But VIII
saw that it adds to the pleasure OF oulio-
ing that great work that you Will proht
by il. You will profit most by II, LOT you
have the greatest carrying trade. can
say a similar thing about the recent lo~-
ering of our tariff. We did not lower
II in order to please you. 1t was for
purposes that we considered economically
sound for ourselves. Nevertheless, 1t
added to the pleasure of doing that to
reflect that thereby we should have more
trade with you. Concerning the recent
message of the President 1 take it upon
myself, on my own responsibility, to say
this: He delivered that message not to
please you but to express the true senti-
ment and seIf-respect of the American
nation. AS l interpret it his was the
voice of the people"
His remarks on the Monroe Doctrine
were as follows:
May | put in another parenthesis, also
on my own account and correct an i'm
preston that part of your press seems
to have about the attitude of the United
States government concerning the invest
ment Of your colossal earnings in States
of Central America that have volcanic
tendencies? l sometimes read that the
United States is entering upon a policy
to discourage foreign investments there.
That is untrue. | think that some events
are happening there that have dis
couraged them somewhat, but hope that
they cannot be charged to the United
States.
There is q policy forming in the minds
of ouB-government and our people which
is not new that would discourage such
investments or such concessions as would
carry with them the control of the gov
eminent of any of those states and only
such. for, So far as the United States
is concerned, you know how heartily we
have welcomed your investments in our
land and still welcome them and always
will
Monroe Doctrine Explained.
The Monroe doctrine meant this, when
it was first formulated, that the United
States would object to any European
governments taxing more land in the
new world. In those days the only way
that a foreign government could gain
land was literally to go and take it.
The receipt of the full text reveals
much Nof interest in Ambassador Pages
speech of which nothing was reported
in the cable dispatches.
Speaking of the differences between
the British and the Americans, the
Ambassador said:
You sometimes wonder why Ameri-
cans do not retire. Retire to what?
The thing they care for is their busi-
ness That is their sport, their recrea-
tion. their cricket. their grouse. their
hunting. their shooting, their exulta-
tion. their elevation to the House of
Peers It is the whole thing"