Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-03-12
URGES RHINE
BE0PENEDT
ALL NATIONS
Peace Farley Advised to
Internationalize River
and Kiel Canal.

AI VI III Nu
mendatiOn that the navigation
of the Rhine be opened to all
nations without discrimination
was made in a report to the
peace conference today by the
commission on the information
al regime of waterways. rail-
ways and ports. 1t is suggested
that the Rhine be controlled by
a commission similar TO the
Danube commission.
The status of the keil canal has
been settled by the commission on
the basis of the freedom of use for
all nations for merchant vessels or
warships in time of peace. The
canal would continue under Ger
man ownership and operation.
The question of the fortifcation OF
the canal is left by the commission
to the decision of military and naval
experts.
The report of the commission
was not favorable to allowing the
Belgian claim that special duties
be imposed on German vessels.
The report further recommended
that general conference be held
within year to deal with all ques-
tions pertaining to the navigation
of international waterways which
are regarded as too intricate or
complex to be settled finally within
the limited life of the peace con-
ference.
L. S. Protests Cable Monopoly.
Realizing the possibility of vir-
tual monopoly of cable communica-
tions should her claim to the cap
tured German cables be sustained,
with the consequent submission OF
The great foreign business interests
ri the United States to alien con-
troll in this respect, the American
delegates to the peace conference
are endeavoring to make a strong
representation of their case before
the legal authorities to whom the
subject has been referred. The ma
val experts who first considered the
question were unable to agree and
the supreme council, upon motion
Of Secretary of State Lansing, re-
ferred to legal experts the question
of title involved. These experts are
being pressed by the Americans for
2 decision.
Early in the war the British cut
the two German cables from Emden
TO America by way of the Azores
and also the cable between Mon
ravia, the Liberian capital and
Brazil. They took one end of one
CT the German cables to
Halifax. thereby securing another
transatlantic line for themselves.
The other cable, they gave to the
French government, which SO far
has made no attempt to utilize it,
probably because of the scarcity OF
submarine cable material and of
cable laying ships.
Prizes OF War. Claim.
The British now claim that these
cables are prizes of war. They do
not intend to allow their return to
Germany or to regard them as sub
ject to disposition by the peace con-
ference. The American delegates,
however. contend that the cables
were unlawfully cut and unlawfully
reconnected because the United
States was not at war when this
was done and had an interest in
them as being one of the termini.
Nor. they claim, was there proper
warrant for the cutting of the ca
bic between Liberia and Brazil. as
I 9th these countries were neutral
at the time it was done.
There never has been any deci-
s.f~ liz hA 10 90 hI
outside of territorial waters in time
Ofgwar and the Americans now are
anxious that no prece-
dent should be established that
might place American business at
the mercy of foreigners. or prevent
free communication between the
United and Central Europe after
the conclusion of peace.
Controls American Field.
In addition to the transatlantic
cables. several German cables in
the Pacific also were seized by the
british as prizes of war. One of
these runs from the island of zap,
cne of the Caroline group. to Sing
apore. connecting with the Dutch
and British cables. Another con-
meets this cable with the island of
Celebes. Possession of these lines.
it is held, insures business control
Of fair proportion of Australian
which is regarded prop
crly as within the field of Ameri
can commercial effort.
The possibility of these cables
passing in some degree under the
control of Japan alone in case the
latter is made the mandatory OF
The captured Pacific island, also is
regarded with disfavor by the
representatives unless
some plan to prevent any possible
discrimination is adopted.
DEMAND INDEPENDENCE.