The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1919-04-17

its citizens. and that the conditions
and charges Of trafiic to be lust and
equitable must be imposed alike on
vessels OF citizens OF the United States
as well as on vessels OF citizens ot
other countries; that no preference
could be given our citizens or vessels
over those OF other nations in the use
OF the canal.
Congress. at the urgent request, II
not at the dictation of President Will
son. acQuiesced in the British inter
probation of the Panama canal treaty.
and repealed the law granting free
tolls to our coastwise trade. Instead
of the phrase "all nations" OF the
Panama canal treaty. Article XXI OF
the covenant has the synonymous
phrase, "all states" members of the
league, for whom provision is to be
made to secure and maintain free
dom OF transit and equitable treat
ment for the commerce of all states
members of the league.
The following is Article XXI in its
entirety:
"The high contracting parties agree
that provision shall be made through
the instrumentality of the league to
secure and maintain freedom OF tran
sit and equitable treatment for the
commerce of all states members of
the league, having in mind, among
other things. sDecial arrangements
with regard to the necessities of the
regions devastated during the war of
1914-191S."
Siunott further asserts: "No doubt
we would contend. IL we signed the
covenant of the league. that we could
grant to our own citizens special priv
ileges and preference rights in our
own commerce: but in this case we
would be confronted with the prece-
dent of the Interpretation and con-
struction which we acceded to at the
behest of the President in the matter
~ the Panama canal treaty. namely.
that the citizens of all other nations
had q right to use the canal on the
same terms and conditions as our
own citizens.
''Citing this Interpretation as pro-
cedent, II would be contended. and
with even greater force and logic,
that the equitable treatment for the
commerce of all states members of
the league provided for in section
XXI Of the covenant, is not complied
with unless the citizens of all other
nations have the same privileges in
our own commerce as are accorded to
our own citizens.
''Is this the removal Of the eco
nomic barriers referred to by Presi-
dent Wilson in his fourteen points,"
1T is generally conceded. and
think the President admitted It. al
though am not sure, that the British
plan of the league Of nations was
adopted after the rejection Of the
French and Italian plans.
Whether this is true or not. the mer-
,st glance at or comparison Of these
'wo provisions from the covenant Of
he league of nations and the Panama
ANAL treaty discloses that the same
'agacious and far-sighted English d.
has overreached our negotia-
ors in drafting the covenant of the
eague as II did in formulating the
Panama canal treaty.
Surely our experience in the mat
er Of the Panama canal treaty should
each us the greatest caution, and
make us wary and cause US to scruti-
lize every word Of the covenant, lest
ve surrender American rights as we
i'd in the canal treaty-rights that
ever were intended to be surren-
cred.
Constructive criticism is said to
e welcome. Then let us remove all
mbiguous language from the cove
ant, so that we may not have a repe-
tion Of the Panama canal fiasco."