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 Bbrah's bill abolishing tolls on American
chips Engaged in the coastwise trade has been
ssrrssy/ ty<ted favorably by the senate inter-oceanic
day ins committee. The Borah bill is chosen in
Tescrl.rence to the Jones' oindexter bill which
/fThed give all American ships, whether en-
..ouniiatistl in coastwise trade or not. free canal pas
by owne
bred argument in favor Of American ships
ri the Panama canal without charge car
the ownenuch force. The canal was purely an
-S,puitts can enterprise; it was built by American
Pamember md is maintained by the American gov
"'ssn's futt, which government owns the canal.
o. held therefore seem to be Americas priv
Fac 10 do as it pleased with the canal.
Il 70 fact is. however, that the Panama canal
TXes not originally an American project. Both
~ French and British had the matter in hand
Zmofore the Uniter States took hold. These
wofntries maintained certain rights in the route
rh,,sas canal. The French claims were bought
the gEhile a treaty was entered into with Great
'3enrhn whereby that country reliquished all
IcNI, on the waterway.
rNh in the treaty with Great Britain whereby
0Ation turned the canal over to the United
kfs exclusively. there is a clause stipulating
~ Hit LiO OAAtO0 Ao~NSNs
~ used by all nations without discrimination"
"a g other words, the United States. in return for
NJ miving Great Britain reinquish her rights to
e. bya canal gave its word of honor that it would
~ MIA to It that no one nation had any advantage
ls tover any other nations in the use of the water
saay.
IA 81 It Is maintained, and with good reason, that
II .or the United States to now permit vessels
, living the American flag to pass through the
n j canal without paying any toll while all other
vessels would have to pay, would be a discrim-
inAtion In favor of one nation, the United States
al against all other nations.
The question resolves itself. then, into a mat
tcr Of whether the word of the United States
lis rood for anything or not. Are we to be put
In the same class with Germany which, a1ter
guaranteeing the neutrality of Belgium deho-
erately marched across the Belgian border "hen
Il suited her purpose to do SO! Are we u
- ~,eds .our- good faith that there will be no ois-
e crin,ination in the use Of the Panama canal and
: tben. when 1t suits our purpose to do 80, de-
uberately discriminate in favor OF ourselvesF
whether or not the treaty was right or wrong'
4 tfhe fact is that the United States once having
~,ssr her word, should stand by it.. We cannot
I ~atrta,n our self-respect in the world If we DO
~ not.
put. as the VIEWING NEWS said a few
DAYS ago in discussing the problem of Ameri-
can shipping, practically every other industry
In America is given some form Of a subsidy oy
the government, although the subsidy is given
in An indirect manner. The tariff, In other
words. is nothing more or less than a SUBSIDY
Tor such industries as it benefits, enabling those
"A Industries to compete successfully with foreign
competitors-at least that is the argument or
Ia fered in its favor by the Republican advo-
Gates Of a protective tariff.
We have contended that the American mer-
chant marine, which we are 80 DESTROYS OF
building up, is an infant industry just as much
as any great industrial establishment. inc
American merchant marine is up against the
hardest kind of foreign competition and II is