Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-18


been carried on without seeming
prospect of success.
But while the canal was built and
| opened to the world the prestige Of
| the United States throughout Latin
America suffered a decline. Repeated
| ly Colombia asked payment of dam
| ages, but again and again was turned
down by the Senate of the United
| States.
Senate Will Pay.
| States and Colombia have just reached
! an agreement whereby the difficulties
and strained relations between the two
/ countries will be removed. And the
| Senate foreign relations committee is
about to report favorably a new
treaty. giving Colombia $25. 100000 for
| her rights in the Canal Zone.
| The treaty contains no expression
of regret or apology that differences
have arisen between the two coun-
| tries. Such a proposal was included
when the treaty was being negotiated
by the Taft administration when
Philander c. Knox was Secretary of
State, and it was included again when
President Wilson. through Secretaries
Bryan and Lansing. made repeated eff
forts to get the treaty through the
Senate.
Roosevelt Was Opposed.
But the influence Of Theodore Roose-
welt kept the pact from being ratified.
He considered that regret or apology
was an admission of completely by the
United States in the revolutionary
movement by which Panama was born.
He vigorously denied all such insinua-
in 1904. though afterward he did say in
a public address:
Il took Panama and talked about it
afterward.'' -.
This has since been regarded as an
admission Of seizure. though his friends
have justified that course on the ground
that Colombia was blocking q, great en-
terprise by Holding up the United Stato6
TOR bigger price. The Department OF
Siete in July, 1914, met this argument
With statement which said in part: =
Contention in 1914.
IF it il contended that thesprice
offered by the United States pfiof 90
able one. and that Colombia ought
to have accepted 1t, that. valuation
cannot be reduced merely because
Colombia was not willing to accept
the offer. The price then offered was
approximately $17.500.000. But when
this price was offered it was under
stood that Colombia would retain the
state of Panama and have the ad-
vantage to be derived from proximity
ness can there be in the proposition
that Colombia, having refused, to ac-
cept fair price. is not entitled to
any damages at all. The payment of
compensation for damages actually
suffered. damages that ought to be
paid, no matter what THEORY one
adopts in regard to the action of the
United States or the action Of Colom-
bia in 1903"
Senator Lodges Position.
That has really remained the status
of the case since 1914. Occasionally
press the treaty through the American
Senate but unsuccessfully. Senator
Lodge, intimate friend of Col. Roose-
Welt, would not permit the treaty to
be ratified, as be could command more
than one-third of the membership Of
the Senate even though his party was
then in the minority. Now Mr.. Lodge.
as chairman of the foreign relations
committee, has outlined the amend
ments which would be acceptable to
him, and one of them was an elimina-
tion of the apology clause.
Acting Secretary of State Polk and
Senators Lodge and Knox have been
in frequent conference and the posi-
ton Of the Senate was made clear to
the Colombian government, who now
have accepted all the amendme nts,
Examinations and changes proposed.
Will Urge Ratification.
So the treaty is in such form that
Senator Lodge feels he can champion
it's ratification on the floor Of the Sem
ate He will be assisted. too. by Sen
ator Knox, who, as Secretary Of
State. saw the merit of Colomb ia' 8
claims Indeed. Mr.. Dubois. the Amer
lean minister to Colombia under Sec
rotary Knox's administration of the
Department of State. estimated CO.
lombias reversionary rights at about
S47.0o0.000.
Colombia would have liked it better
II the treaty had contained an express
sion of regret. but is satisfied because
two administrations. republican as
well as democratic. actually signed
such a document and submitted 1T to
the American Senate. So far as Co
lombia Is concerned. she considers this
action on the part of the executive
branch of our government as sufficient
expression of the desire of the United
States government, as we'll as an over
whelming body Of American citizens
The payment OF the $25,O00,0 900 is in
itself compensation which Colombia
will consider arises from the treat
ment she received in 1908. No one
will be able to prevent Colombia from
constituting the $25.000.O0 or any other
sum of money as confirming her views.
champion Of Weak Nations"
But throughout Latin America the
importance Of a settlement of the Co
lombian controversy cannot be ex-
I aggerated. Latin Americans have usu :
| ally pointed to the Panama episode
I as proof of so-called American
hypocrisy. in protesting to be the
champion of weak nations and then
taking advantage of them
The repeal of the tolls provision
in the HayPauncefote treaty with
Great Britain was an instance. how
I ever. of ungrudginC generosity in
the Interpretation of a moot point in
a treaty and Senators Lodge and Root
| supported that action vehemently.
Impression Corrected.
! Today 1t falls to Senator Lodge of
which corrects a wrong impression
throughout Central and South Amer
lea. 1t means that next door to the
Panama canal the United States will
not have a potential foe, but friend
| and that commercial relations be-
tween Colombia and ourselves. which
have been impeded for sixteen years
will now be assisted and stimulated