Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1922-02-28
WASHINGTON AFFAIRS
Especial to The Bulletin.)

ing his recent visit to Panama and con-
ditions as he found them, especially re-
lating to American shipping interests
and Notifications of the Canal Zone.
The Colonel experienced an excapeion-
ally rough passage both to and from
Panama and in answer to the question
Have you recovered your land legs yet,
remarked Yes. but In my opinion the
only man who ever exhibited any sign
of brain power and went to sea, was
Noah. He had some excuse, for he had
no other place to co.
Colonel Tilson then related some OF
the incidents that most impressed him
regarding the needs of the Panama Canal
Zone. from commercial and military
standpoints. It was not Col Tilson's
first visit there, for he went down be
fore during the early days of canal con-
struction. As ordance expert on the
| military affairs committee of the house
Mr.. Tilson had been especially interest
| ed in the defences Of the zone; as a
mebrer of the ways and mean committee
| he is especially interested with ship
| ping and commercial conditions there,
| and 1t was for the purpose of studying
them and incidentally the question of
free tolls. that he made the recent trip.
| 1--WE must protect our coastwise ship
|
mean Atlantic and Pacific and those
passing through the canal. In fact I
| believe we should protect all our ship
| ping that goes on under the American
| flag. l see no reason why we should
not protect them by a subsidy II inter
| national objection Is made to the toll
| plan.
American shipping is now at great
| disadvantage owing to the severe restric-
tlon under the IjaFollette act and the
subsidies paid by other countries. The
| number Of ships flying the American
flag in the canal zone was exceedingly
small as compared to ships flying the
British and japanese flags, and those OF
other countries having large commercial
interests. l found that the W. R. Grace
Company Of New York, which has just
acquired one Of the big new ships is
sending it out under the Panamanian
| flag, although Panama has no merchant
| marine of its own. I was informed that
the w r. Grace Co., which controls the
| Pacific Mail Line sends out from Van
couver under the British flag. Thi;
| avoidance Of the use of the American
flag is said TO be based on the heavy
restrictions of the LaFollette seaman's
act and the prohibition amendment ant
other restrictive methods which mus
be adopted to carry out American law:
which ships sailing under foreign ffag'
need not adopt
That flag of the Panama republic OF
an American ship was very notlceabl
as the merchant marine of Panama con-
sists of about so small boats-iust littl'
fishing cioops-that come into the har
Dor at panama, each turn of the tide
which has a rise of u feet at that point
| ID
are keeled over on one side high anC
, dry, and from them their catch Is land
ed and sold as it would be in regula
market place. When the tide comes il
the market place is covered with
feet of water, and the little boats pu
out again and day after day this is re
peated. And that's all there is to tn
Panama merchant marine. whose flag tn
3 great Shipping company of Grace flies
, because American laws prohibit meth
! Nods that permit successful competition.
But 1t was the island of Haiti tina
offered yle mist remarkable harho
scene. We saw there something like 90
ver< little boats sounding into harbol
? like a mosquito fleet but equipped wit
: all sorts of material for sails. Their
T were old bags. old flour sacks, or any
: thing that could catch the wind, man
q so full of big holes that 1t was mys
terry how wind enough could b
Caught" to move them along. 1t wa
one degree worse than the Panam
u feet.
G Commenting on the military situatio
: at the canal zone Col. Tilson said thu
: in his opinion these were the most ur|
3 ent needs: Building Alhajuila dam an
n so ensuring sufficient water power an
! electric power for the zone; comm,
:, nication across the canal either by tui
mel or a bridge; fortifcation of T,
y bage island.
Even if the treaties of the confe
q ence are accepted Col. TiIson belfev,
d those improvements are a necessity. r
Y garding the building of the Alba ue
= dam Col Tilson said the water Won
n be utilized in two ways and would
% a refutation that "the mill cam new
! grind again with wat1& that is pas
ed" BY building the dam and ma
- ing a reserve water supply in Charg
'e river the same water would be used (
e supplying the locks and for electr
e pjower. I'm other words said he ~
can have your pudding and eat It, toe
Is The colonel went into detail as to t
b. need Of an emergency water supply f
~ the canal in case of unexp ected trouio
and described technically the c;rcul
q stances which might arise to make 81
81 a supply necessary without delay. c
u Tilson referred to the courtesy exten
he ed him in making the inspection, and
he the great fnnpr ov enents in roarS sir
r. his previous visit. He went out to I
Y jungles beyond the government res,
"a walton and made as thorough a persor
: inspection Of canal conditions as WI
possible in the short time he reTne In
in Panama
The political battle Of 1922 Is n,
well under way and no matter wi
as debate is started in congress, It becon
political and sectional before It is er
ed. The democrats say the "Hardil
Honeymoon year" is now over and
:" second year of the administration v
NOT run as smoothly as the first tn
propose to put in the wall all the stun
Ing blocks they can find, and so ms
ne al tho trouble they can for the pa:
It In power. Tho president hasn't yet
dicated how far he will go In taking
Personal part in the campaign, but
he republicans are relying ON him to m.
~. OUT the course they Shall follow. q
~. democrats hardly hope to win back pc
er IN the house or senate unless SO
sudden and unforeseen incident
ours, but they are determined to :
rts back a number Of the So districts ii
ew would need to give them a MAORI
Ick The republicans have found their trem
dous majority top-heavy and urwie1
Many men are utterly lacking In tie
.sn work or inclination TO fall in line v
~ recognized leaders Ana the republic
would rather loose come districts Il
" have that element TO conntsnd with
their own party. They are willing
lose certain districts. but are determi