Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-06-15

AMERICAN HONOR AT STAKE

Repeal OF the Panama canal tolls for Ameri-
can ships is once more before congress. Sen
ator Borah's bill abolishing tolls on American
ships engaged in the coastwise trade has been
~.perted favorably by the senate inter-oceanic
halls committee. The Borah bill is chosen In
reference to the Jones-Poindexter bill which
would give all American ships, whether en-
gagged in coastwise trade or not, free canal pas
sage.
The argument in favor of American ships
using the Panama canal without charge car
ries much force. The canal was purely an
American enterprise; it was built by American
money and 10 maintained by the American gov
eminent, which government owns the canal.
It would therefore seem to be Americas priv
ilege ITO do as it pleased with the canal.
I'VE fact is. however. that the Panama canal
not originally an American project. Both
French and British had the matter In hand
fore the Uniter States took hold. These
Iuntries maintained certain rights in the route
the canal. The French claims were bought
HwhiIe a treaty was entered into with Great
ain whereby that country reliquished all
4 on the waterway.
1t In the treaty with Great Britain whereby
nation turned the canal over to the United
exclusively, there 10 q clause stipulating
ia United States shall allow the canal to
j by all nations without discrimination.
kr words, the United States, in return for
Great Britain relinquish her rights to
al Raye its word of honor that it would
4 that no one nation had any advantage
~ other nations in the use of the water
4 maintained, and with good reason. that
- Ty-tknA Gtofoa IN now hermit veSSelS
hx the American flag to pass through the
hal without paying any toll while all other
essels would have to pay, would be a discrim-
nation in favor of one nation, the United STATES
be against all other nations.
The question resolves itself, then, into a mat
ter of whether the word of the United States
il good for anything or not. Are we 10 De put
IN tha same class with Germany which, after
guaranteeing the neutrality OF Belgium oeho-
.r.te,v marched across the Belgian border when
It suited her purpose to DO so? Are We -
I pledge our good faith that there will be no dls
~ hra~A se of the Panama canal and
then. when it suits our purpose to DO So oe'
uberately discriminate in favor OF ourselVes'
whether or not the treaty was right or wrong
MthemAct is that the United States once having
word, should stand by 1t. We cannon
maintain our self-respect IN the ~orio IL "' ~
I not.
But, as the EVENING NEWS said a fe"
days ag9/in discussing the problem OF Amer
can shipping. practically every other INDUSTRY
In America is given some form OF a subsidy o'
\ the government. although the subsidy is siVer
IN Jan indirect manner. The tariff. In othei
words. is nothing more or less than a SUBSIDY
Or such industries as it benefits, enabling thos'
Industries to compete successfully with forelsi
competitors-at least that is the argument OF
fered in its favor by the Republican adVo
Gates of a protective tariff.
We have commended that the American mer
chant marine. which we are so desirous o.
building up, is an infant industry just as muci
~. any great Industrial ESTABLISHING Ihe
American merchant marine is up against th'
hardest kind of foreign competition and 1t Il