South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-02-29
United States Preparing to
Take Steps to Safeguard
Its Right-MOre Land
May be Secured.
STATE DEPARTMENT
SEEKS NEW TREATY
Is Expected to Provide For
Absolute Police Control
of Cities of Pen
anna and Colon.
international News Service

International News Service:
WASHINGTON. Feb. %. - The
United States is preparing 10 take
steps that will safeguard its rights
in the event of any foreign power
securing concessions that might
threaten the Panama canal. And
if the negotiations that have been
initiated for a new treaty with Pan
anna are consummated. the strongest
defenses in the world can be erected
on the ocean sides of the big water
way.
The proposal to negotiate "A new
treaty with the isthmian republic
follows the expose Of the $4,000
coo land scandal recently explained
to the house interstate commerce
commission by Maj. Gen. George w.
Cocktails, governor of the canal zone.
At the request of the administration
legislation proposing TO put an end
10 the mulcting of the United States
by land claimants at Panama have
Teen held up i'm the house pending
negotiations for a new treaty.
Land is Necessary
In addition to covering the acqui-
sition of land i'm the present 10-nile
canal strip, the new treaty probably
will include plans for turning over
to this government lands outside Of
the present canal zone. These lands,
military Authorities contend. are alb
sOlutely necessary 10 protect the
canal from aggressive action by a
foreign nation which might secure
control of one of the islands in the
Caribbean sea, and from such an
island base menace the canal. The
extensive defensive fortificatiOns
outside OF the present zone are alb
solutely imperative. the military ad-
visers of the administration declare
if the zone is to be properly pro-
tected
The new treaty also is expected to
provide for the absolute police con-
troll by the United States OF the
cities of Panama and Colon at the
eastern and western eXtremities Of
the canal.
These two cities. military authori-
ties declare. offer "A constant oppor-
tunity to any foreign power TO Sc
cure a secret foothold which i'm time
of war would enable them To ruin
the usefulness of the canal.
Measure j. Oncrcd.
When Mai. Gen. Goethals laid be-
fore the interstate commerce COM
mittee evidence that the United
States was being robbed" under
the present treaty. Rep. Adamson Of
Georgia, chairman of the commit
tee. took a hand i'm the matter. lie
introduced a bill providing that the
activities Of the Panama joint land
commission should cease At the end
of six months. lie laid his bill.
with the information he had ac-
CURED as 10 general conditions in
Panama before Prest Wilson. The
president suggested that the entire
matter be referred To the rtate de-
partment to determine whether any
pending diplomatic negotiations
might he disturbed 10y such legisla-
ton. Today Rep. AdamsOn was re-
quested by Sec'y Of state Lansing TO
defer any action ON his bill temper
arily at least.
Administration diplomatic officials
believe that the expose of conditions
in Panama brought about through
Rep AdamsOn's Investigations have
made il imperative that remedial
measures be taken at once. Ii is
understood. however. that the state
department would prefer TO settle
the matter through diplomatic
channels by a new treaty rather
than have congress pass legislation
which would precipitate a conflict
between this country and the new
republic on the isthmus