Evening star., 1921-03-20
PRESIDENT IS FIRM
FOR WHITE DECREE
ASPANAMA PLEADS
Boundary Decision by Chief
Justice Is "UnalterabIe
Position" of U. S.
"PAINFUL, HUMILIATING,"
SAYS PORRAS MESSAGE
Mr.. Harding, in His Reply, Repeats
Expression of Friendship for Cen
tral American Republic.

The decision of Chief Justice White
in the Panama-Costa Rica boundary
dispute must be the unalterable po-
sition' of the United States govern
ment. President Harding declared
yesterday in reply to a personal ap-
peal from President Porras Of Pan
ANA.
Although he expressed regret that
Panama should feel wounded by the
White decision, described in Senior
Porras' message as painful and hu-
initiating" Mr.. Harding declined to
consider any other basis of settle
ment, and asserted that the recent
State Department note insisting on
enforcement of the decision had his
hearty approval
The exchange between the two ex-
ecutives. made public textually last
night at the White House. was in
the nature OF an ad interim discus
sion while the State Department
awaited Panama's reply to it's note.
Costa Rica already has accepted the
White award. and some definite an
swer from Panama now is expected
within a few days.
Recalls November Visit.
In making his appeal President
Porras recalled the expressions of
friendship for Panama given by Mr..
Harding last November, during his
visit there as President-elect. and
voiced hope that the Panaman peo-
y.ta trx1t hA @ssav, fa1
their faith in the new administration
at Washington To this President
Harding replied by renewing his
avowals of cordiality. but added that
the exercise of friendly relations al
ways must be tempered by justice.
The message from the Pamamanian
president was received late Friday,
and before replying Mr.. Harding held
long conference yesterday with
secretary Hughes of the StAts. De-
partment. 1t is understood that they
not only went over In detail the
latest information regarding the
situation between the two Central
American republics. but also dis
cussed broad questions Of policy in
volved in a final determined insist.
ence on the position taken by this
government.
Panama Cablegran.
The text of President Porras' cable
: Eraw follows:
Demand from State Department
that my government would accept
Whites decision is painful and hu-
initiating. More 50. when two sue
cessive legislatures and all the
municipalities in the republic have
petitioned for the rejection of that
decision on the ground that the
arbitrator notoriously exceeded its
Jurisdiction, giving to Costa Rica
more than her representative, Per-
alta, asked from President Loubet,
and also because it is against the
provisions OF Panama's constitution.
Il appeal. therefore. directly to you,
Mr.. President, recalling your kind
words with which you expressed your
friendship and good wishes toward
my country, when you honored us
with your visit in November. / ad-
dress myself to the magistrate who
loves justice and equity, SO that nv
oountry's cause be better appreciated
and that We may be classified
amongst the nations with self-con-
seriousness and dignity that feels her
self deeply wounded with the State
Departments demand.
II beg of you. Mr.. President, to use
your personal. political and admins
trative influence. SO that the bound
AIRY dispute between PaBama and
Costa Rica may have a solution more
in accord with justice and dignity
than the one which We are being
asked to accept. We Panamanians
are confident in your righteousness
and We hope that that confidence will
not be rewarded with disappointment" /"
Following is President HardinR's
reply:
THE communications from our
State Department to the government
of Panama and the government of
full knowledge and hearty approval
Of the executive.
ut would be exceedingly distressing
to me to believe that the government of
Panama had cause to feel wounded or
to assume, for any reason, the gov
ernment of the United States is in
any way unmindful of our peculiarly
friendly relationship. with a recog-
nized mutuality of interest The
friendly expressions made in your
presence informally last November
are repeated now. and there is deep
concern for full Justice in the exer-
else of our friendly relationship.
1T must be apparent. however
that the decision of the Chief Justice
OF the United States. in an arbitra-
tion submitted to him, and reached
after exhaustive study and rendered
in fullest devotion to justice. must be
the unalterable position of this gov