Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-02
Editorial Digest
Listening In" on Uncle Sam.

When the international communi-
cations conference reconvenes to de-
eide the knotty problem of distribu-
| tion of the cables taken from Ger
| many. the American members will be
forced to come out fatty and en-
phatically for American rights If they
take their cue from the editorial
writers of the country. The point
that has called forth the greatest pro-
test from the newspapers is the ques-
ton of censorship of American
private. official, diplomatic and COM
happens to control the cable over
which the dispatches are sent
The Sacramento Union Gndepend-
ent takes the opportunity to lament
the fact that America did not ratify
the treaty of Versailles. which factor
it believes. weakened" our standing
1t adds. however, that cit is unthink
able that this government should con-
sent to forego control it should eXer-
else over any cable touching our
shores There may be excuse. il says.
FOR the private ownership Of lines
of communication within the confines
of the country, but there should be
OF the government over the cable and
wireless systems connecting us with
foreign countries" A similar Senti-
mcnt is expressed by the New York
W ORD fdemocratic): THE free seas
are the properties of all nations. The
cables beneath them should be at the
command of no one nation to the GER
tam annoyance and possible detriment
of the rest"
Pointing out that the condition the
world demands does not exist the Bos-
ton Herald (ndependent republican, re-
fers to the pride Britain takes in her
all red routes. which make it necessary
for the United States to reach the east
ern coast of South America through
England.
The things for which the American
delegates to the conference must and
will hold out" are clearly enumerated by
the New York Times independent dem
ocratic). which believes that I'VE should
not permit even friendly nations to con-
troll our communication with other
countries" and we should not be forced
to reach Scandinavia and Germany
through England or Italy through
France, and, further. I'VE do not want
exclusive Japanese control of the sta
ton at zap, through which. under GER
tain contingencies, all our messages for
nearer Asia might have to pass"
The idea that His Majesty George
the Fifth is listening in on Uncle Sam
all the time" does not appeal at all to
the Wichita Eagle independently. for
this custom apparently recalls the right
of search" for English sailors on Yankee
ships. which right it declares. 1.-The
United States knocked into Il cooked hat
in the war of 1912"
The United States attitude after the
war in refusing to share in the spoils.
the New York Mail Independently points
out, did not mean that it was willing
to surrender any principle of its SOW
ereignty.% which cit would do If it were
to continue to tolerate the una brdged
ownership and supervision of the former
German cables by the three nations now
in possession of Them This sentiment
is echoed in the Houston Chronicle Gin
dependency. for, it says, Sin taking away
the ownership from Germany the allies
were not justified in taking their beneht
away from us. yet that is precisely what
the allies have done"
Showing how the position of America,
as far as the control of cables goes, Is
weaker now than before the war, Will
Great Britain lis said to control more
than half the cable facilities of the
globe" the Chicago Tribune Gndepend-
ent republican, states that IL mercy
depends upon the new administration to
see. that the fault is rectified. I'VE need
not suffer this to continue. says the
Tribune. for we have means of success
full pressure" In the words of the MIN
neapolis Tribune (republican), the
United States must write Declaration
of Independence as far as cable control
is concerned"