The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1921-09-22
PANAMA TOLLS

try equal rights in the building and
operation of the Panama Canal. |
When it came time to put up good |
round dollars for the purpose of |
construction the English seemed per |
fectiy willing to make such changes
in their treaty relations as would en-
able the United States to do all the
spending of money, but which would
at the same time give the English
equal rights in shipping through the
completed Canal. The American
Congress subsequently made a
''scrape of paper" of this treaty and
gave our ships preference in tolls,
whereupon John Bull roared, and
charged that we had shown bad faith
This led President Wilson, with the
help of the American Ambassador, |
Mr.. Page in London, to arrange with
England that the Canal Measure
wouldbe altered as to grant to
England all of the rights which she |
| claimed. Under the stress of the |
war President Wilson secured the pas |
sage of law that placed British |
shipments on the same level with our
American shipments. Now, Sena- |
tor Borah and others are INSISTING |
On the repeal of this legislation which
favors Great Britain. The object
ors vociferously declare that we
,,,,,c+ l,aax or. ,,ro,,o;coc ~ Enmlopd 1
otherwise we cannot be regarded as
an honest nation. The answer is
that England wheedled US into an
absolutely unfair agreement half I
century ago, and even though they
'Snew that the Bulwer- Clayton treaty /
iobbed US, and that the Hay-Paun-
cefote treaty also trimmed us out of
our natural rights they have insisted
that we stick to our bargain-assert-
ng that it is dishonorable not to do
so. Technically they are quite cor
rect. an dthe American Government
ras been letting them go, just as
Judges and juries have always let
he guilyt estcape on "technicalities.
Senator Borah and his supporters in
;ist that England should let us out
If the bad hole which they have. kept
IS in for fifty years, and failing to
10 so, they are maintaining an unfair
advantage which we are justified in
,epudiating. The essence of the
position by the American Senator and
lis followers is that England has
10 business to call our kettle black
because their pot is smudged with
more SCOT than our own. A vote
.pon the Panama Canal tolls repeal
,ill is set for October 10. If Mr..
3orah and his group should win the
english lion will roar nightly. If
hey lose our National honor and
another "scrap of paper" will have
been saved once again.
FEEDING THE RUSSIANS
Mr.. Hoover's committee is rush.
ng relief to the starving Russians.
Che Russian government, which has
)een making faces at the civilized ma
ions of the w orld, is believed to be
esponsible for the propaganda which
apparently broke loose over night,
.evealing the sufferings in Russia.
Of course starvation does not come
% millions of people in a day or a
week unless there is some sudden cal
lmilty like an earthquake, or fire or
ioods to pfecipitate the catastrophe
Russia has been getting ready for
starvation for long time, and it is
interesting to know something of
the facts that have made it necessary
for Mr. Hoover to send food into a
country which was formerly SO rich
hat it exported more of it's grains
han any other nation.
The soviet authorities of Russia
forced their Bolshevik paper money
upon the country, and when the pea
sans found that they could buy
nothing with it, they refused to ac-
cept it. Then the Red Guards were
sent out from the cities to sieze the
peasants stores. The peasants find
ing themselves in constant danger
Of these forceful acquisitions and
deprived of any incentive to produce
more than they needed themselves,
cut down the area cultivated to a
minimum, and concealed their pro-
ducts. Thus, there were no reser-
yes of food to move, even if there
were transportation to move it. Add
ed to this fact, great drouth fell
upon Russia, and the production was
even less than the peasants had cal
culated on. In the Volga Valley,
which is one of the most fertile re-
gions of Russia, the peasants were
not only plundered of their food but
the very seed required for fall SOW
mo was taken from them Tins