The Washington times., 1915-12-07

This has reused the deep concern OF
those original advocates Of the Near
aqua route, who for many years have
protested, in the face seeming assuF-
ance TO the contrary, that 1t was q
fearful mistake to choose the Panama
route. Many of the Nicaragua sup
porters are now joining the "'1-told-yon-
so' club, and they are not without 5usta'
flcation in the record. for many of them
did predict just what has been happen
ing at Panama.
ut is very important that this coun-
try shall not let any other nation get
control Of the Nicaragua route at this
time" declared a Congressional vet
eran. who has been in Washington
long enough to have voted on every
piece of canal legislation from the pur-
chase OF the Panama ditch down to
date Continuing. he ssid:
THE Nicaragua franchise Is in the
| market; anybody is liable to get 1t, and
| the United States would have no
ground TO object II Canada should be-
some reason for obiectlng IL any other
| than an American nation sought to Sc
cure that route. But the same reason
that can be urged against letting any
| non American nation control an Amer
lean canal. applies just as strongly in
favor of Canada as Of the United
States. 1t has not been suggested that
the British Empire. or Great Britain,
should have anything to do with the
J Nicaragua plan Of Canada; merely that
| the Canadian nation may enter the lists.
| OF course tfat would amount to MAX
ing the new canal q British British anSir: an, u
would have the backing OF the British
nation. ana the support Of the British
navy in case of war.
Affect Foreign Policy.
I'm view of the range of alliances
that Great Britain has perfected incl
dent to the present war. and OF the ex-
tension Of those complexities Of foreign
relations that may be expected after
the war, II would be nothing less than
an abdicatlon OF the Monroe policy to
permit Canada to take the Nicaragua
franchise and build = ditch"
Moreover. the same speaker insisted,
it may at length prove that Nicaragua
Is the route by which TO construct the
only successful canal. For. as he went
on:
| Nicaragua route as against Panama.
There is little doubt. in my mind, that
the decision IN favor Of Panama was
dictated by the belief, then prevalent.
that II we bought Panama we should
mon understanding that Nicaragua
meant the same as locks, while Pana-
ma, at that stage, was supposed to be
synonymous with sea-leVel construc-
"But after the Panama property was
bought from France, various considera-
tions led TO a change. Chief anonG
these. | think. was the desire to nave nave
as possible. Great pressure was
brought to bear in both House and
Senate to have the lock type adopted
and there was q, great debate on the
| In afk debate ynAi
4 in considerable part may be repeated
before the present session is ended.
Sounds Like Prophecy.
There were warnings then that
Panama was not adapted to the loch
plan; and there ia q magnificent dis
cussion of that subject, In the booA
by M. Bunau-varilIa. who was chiei
engineer of the old French company
which will sound like prophecy q
somebody in the light or the presen'
conditions at Panama produces and re,
reads it to Congress-: rssSa SGme0oGy sIt.S %il
sea-level canal dug. and his reasont
are only made the more eInphauc pS
the conditions now existent lie lore
saw Just what is happeninS. ,...u
I national commission Of engineers e
consider and report as to the desirable
, type Of canal to build. All the foreign
, engineers favored the sea-level plan
the bare majority of Americans al
took the other view, and 1t was com
mon belief that their views refiecteS
! / other considerations than engineering
that Is, that they were under some pres
! sure of political influences that uneS
them up for the plan that was finaii'
adOUted.
Domination Of GOethals.
After the French canal was bOugh
: and the lock canal decided upon, ther'
3 were varying experiences before Gen
I, eral Goethsls was given the complet
! control under which he carried the worl
to completion and opened the canal
4 temporarily. as we now know. He wa
: given the powers OF a czar, first b.
a executive orders of Secretary OF Wa
Taft. He dominated engineering; ad
ninistration. everything.
In CONGRESS 1t was much the same
General GOethals possessed the com
plets confidence of commanding ma
8 torttV in the House committees on bot
!. appropriations and interstate commerce.
and likewise In the Senate committee
o on interoceanic canals and appropria
tions. He never bothered much abou
! consulting with anybody except tn
y committee cha1rmen: the rest OF tn
n members were treated with as scan
courtesy as he commonly accorded
his subordinHtss IN handling the Wor
OF building the canal. II was a one
4 man performance throughout, and no.
that II looks as II a monumental mis-
take had been made. there is desire I
g know about how IL happened to b
made"
e For years there has been an unda,
4 current OF criticism, on the part OF
minority Of Congress. because OF IN
disposition to heap ell the honors an
Y recognition Of the canal achievement o
] General GoethalR II hoa ranras sanfe
It only a minority. and criticism OF an!
h thing regarding the canal work has
n the more recent wears come 20 be r,
- EaTded as very bad form: an indics
& tiOn OF general bad temper Men WI
e originally voted against the Panan
= route. or against the lock .ype OF ditcl
~ have been under the eusDicioB tn
they were merely uagOooaRtFustlb