The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-11-06
PRES|DENT-ELECT
PLANS TO REVIVE
PANAMA DISPUTE
Trip to Canal Zone Significant
In Connection With Free
Tolls Idea, Says David
Lawrence.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Cerrespo ondent Of The News
Qnin.ikaHN


elect Harding has an especial purpose
N wanting to visit the Panama canal
The full significance of the trip will
n0t become apparent until March 4.
But the truth Is. Mr. Harding Is in
earnest about reviving the Panama
canal tolls controversy. He wants to
see American ships exempted from Z
the payment of tolls and will press
Tor that exemption when he Is in
augurated.
President Wilson found himself
confronted with the same question !
when he took office in March. 1918.
the Democratic platform written at
baltimore in July, 1912, had gone on
record in support of the action Of
the Democratic congress in voting
to exempt American ships from the
payment of tolls.
But Great Britain insisted that this
piece OF legislation was in effect
discrimination against British ships |
and plain violation of the terms of |
the Hay Pauncefote treaty.
That compact between England and |
pas United States was made as a
direct result of surrender of GER
tain rights England had to another |
interoceanic canal in Nicaragua and |
the understanding was that If Brit !
ain would relinquish her rights. |
America would not discriminate |
against her.
There has been much debate as to |
whether the treaty actually prom |
ised that America would not dis
criminate against Great Britain as |
between foreign nations other than /
the United States, or whether the |
promise not to discriminate included |
American shipping.
Some international lawyers argued |
that, Of course, America, as the own
er and builder of the canal, had the |
right to do as she pleased about |
tolls and that the discrimination did |
not apply with respect to our own
ships. Other authorities argued to
the contrary. Senator Lodge and |
Elihu Root, who also was In the SEN
ate at the time, made eloquent
speeches saying the law ought to be |
repealed.
Support BIZ Partisan.
Indeed, President Wilson found Re- |
publican as well as Democratic sup |
'port IN both houses OF congress when |
he declared that America could not |
afford to take advantage of other |
aatiedis bsa& insisting upon a selfish |
Interpretation OF an ambiguous ar
ticle in any treaty. He also hinted |
at large and vital questions of di- |
plomacy when he said that the law
ought to be repealed and friendship |
with Great Britain maintained on ac- |
count of matters of far nearer and |
more delicate concern"
Just what Mr.. Wilson meant by the |
foregoing phrase was never publicly |
explained, though it is commonly |
supposed in Washington that the |
president was playing for Britains |
friendship because of the delicate re-
lationship between Japan and the
United States over the California |
alien land law.
The world doesn't know how close
America and Japan came to war that
Lear and the friendship of Great
Britain with her powerful navy was
deemed extremely important to the
United States, especially in view of
the Anglo Japanese offensive and de-
fensive alliance
Similarly England had an anti
Japanese problem to meet in her own
Canadian and Australian dominions,
and the wisest diplomacy of the mo-
ment seemed to be a firm hand of
friendship and pooling of interests
between America and Great Britain.
The Irish American and German
American societies fought President
Wilson on the issue and rallied all
their friends in congress, but Mr..
Wilson won out and that part of the
canal act eXempting United States
vessels from the payment of tolls
was repealed
Conditions Changed.
Circumstances have changed to
| some extent since 1918. In the elec-
tion which has Just closed millions
OF Americans OF Irish descent flocked
to the Harding standard. Aside from
the fact, however, that the new presl-
dents position has pleased those in
our population who are opposed to
everything British, the determination
to revive the controversy does not
| have its origin in that quarter. Some
body OF influence urged the revival
| Of the matter when the Republican
platform was written at Chicago last
June. Here is the pledge in that
platform:
I'VE recommend that all ships en-
gagged In coastwise trade and all ves-
sells Of the American merchant marine
| shall pass through the Panama canal
without payment Of tolls"
Moreover, the speech of acceptance
Of Senator Harding in Marion last
July contained the following para
graph:
Il like that recommittal to thoughts
Of America first which pledges the
Panama canal, an American cCRation,
to the free use of American shipping
1t will add to the American reawak-
eninR"
Doesn't Senator Harding realize, ii
will promptly be asked, that the re-
lations between Japan and the United
| States over the California situation
are still strained and that the i'm
portance of an Anglo American un-
derstanding is as great as ever
Plans Friendly Negotiations,
The answer is that the President
elect expects to negotiate the whole
question in a friendly manner with
Great Britain. For instance, It might
be advantageous to England to have
definite understanding with the
United States on the question of naval
armament
With Germany helpless, the Amer
| lean navy alone stands as a possible
connection England needs every
| cent of her budget for things other
| than naval armament and she would
| It ls argued save great deal if she
were assured concerning the Amer
lean naval building program. That is
| Just an idea which the president elect
| is said to be considering as sort OF
quid pro quo in the settlement Of the
| Panama canal tolls question.
Also there are questions of tolls in
| the Suez and other British water
| WAYS which could be adjusted in a
general discussion of the whole sub
| iect.
Senator Harding has been i'm
| pressed with the necessity Of securing
advantages for the American mer-