The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-04-30


the old French company which had
collapsed while attempting to dig the
canal. Roosevelt's friends still vehe-
mently deny that he had any part in
starting the revolution. That is really
1mmaterial. The thing would have
been a flash in the pan if it had not
been for American bayonets The fact
Is that Teddy wanted the canal zone
and believed the only way he could
get it was through the use of force.
The Republic of Panama was set up
and still exists, but it is question
If 1t would last six months if it were
not supported by this country
Talked to Death.
Our treatment Of Colombia not only:
lnmbittered the people of that coun.
try against us but gave US a bad
name among the people Of all the
Latin-American countries, and when
Wilson came into office he tried to
with Colombia, under the terms of
which we <would apologize for what
we had done in Panama and would
pay Colombia $50,0C0,OO0 as DAM
ages.
Roosevelt led the fight against the
proposition and he had the support
of most Of the Republican senators.
&C treaty was talked to death. Then
Wilson compromised. The apology
" 8 cut out and the damages reduced
to $25,000,000. In that shape the
treaty came before the senate, but
Roosevelt's friends renewed their at
tack, led by Senator Lodge Of Mas
sachusetts. Secretary of the Interior
Fall, who was then member of the
senate, supported Lodge. They in
sisted that the adoption Of the treaty
would be a confession that the United
States had & ".e wrong and they re-
fused to be Parties to such an Insult"
t. their great leader, Theodore Roose-
Welt.
So the treaty was sidetracked
"Oir Made Them Change.
When the Republicans gained con-
troll of the senate in 1920 it was taken
for granted that Colombia would
never receive either an apology or
compensation. But it was recently
discovered that some of the worlds
most promising oil fields were To-
Gated within the boundaries of that
republic, and a great scramble de-
veloped between the Standard Oil
company and it's competitors to Sc
cure concessions. The Americans dis
covered they were at a disadvantage
because of the failure to ratify Will
sons treaty. They found they could
'Hget pretty much what they wanted
it they could induce this government
to transfer $25,000,0O0 from our
treasury to the treasury Of Columbia.
or course, they were willing the trans
action should go through and they
undertook to convert the new admin
1stration. President Harding sent a
special message to the senate urging
the ratification of the treaty. SEN
,ator Lodge opened the debate with
al elaborate speech explaining his
change of front, and Secretary of the
Interior Fall, who had joined with
Lodge in the report denouncing the
treaty, gave an interesting exhibition
Of a great statesman eating his own
words.
Watson Is Persistent.
let us quote Senator Watson once
more:
We'll, if we are to buy property
for the Standard Oil company let US
80 on and do it. and let US not make
5concealnlent about it. Let. us just
& & confess what we arc doing-that we
are here to buy property for 81 the
standard Oil company; :s1s.szls'55
A.s.ss:Io saak the sworn naember sof this
q olnttnned 9: q Page sTvS5