Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-13
PANAMAN ADMITS
i. S. ISSUE BEYOND
COURT JURISDICTION
Delegate at Geneva Acted on
Own Initiative, Heads of
Republic Declare.
SOVEREIGNTY QUESTION
is CRUX OF DISPUTE
State Department Officials and
Senators Deny League Has
ANY Concern in Case.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PANAMA, September 13.-Both
President Chiari and Foreign Minister
Alfaro are authority for the statement
that DR.. Eusebio Morales was acting
on his own initiative when he startled
the League of Nations Assembly last
week by suggesting that the differ
ences over the new Panaman-Unted
States treaty be submitted to the
World Court.
The foreign minister declined to
comment on DR.. Morales action pend
ing receipt of the official text OF his
speech in the League assembly, but
remarked that the Panaman delegate
was so we'll acquainted with the
treaty problems that he would not
have made the declaration attributed
to him unless he was convinced that
1t was proper and opportune to do so.
Convinced of U. S. Attitude.
Panaman official circles, however,
are convinced that the United States
would never consent to submission of
the differences over the treaty to an
outside tribunal.
Deputy Harmodio Arias, who op-
posed the new treaty even before its
submission to Congress, is quoted as
saying:
'The suggestion made by DR.. Mo-
rales is, in effect, that there be sub
mitted to determination by the World
Court the question whether or not
Panama has sovereignty over the
Canal Zone. I would say, apart from
the fact that this is a purely academic
question, that the court has no juris-
diction regarding it, the United States
not being a party to the statutes
creating the court.
ST believe Panama's principal inter-
est is that the concrete questions
which have arisen in connection with
the application and Interpretation OF
the treaty of 1903 be solved by agree
ment, provided that in the said agree
ment nothing be stipulated which may
or explicitly contradict Pan
ama's viewpoint regarding the SOW.
ereignty of the Canal Zone. .~-v~~
Il feel sure that Panama wishes to
cooperate in a most friendly spirit
with the United States for fair solu-
tion of all the pending questions.
Holds Sovereignty Retained.
The view of the new treaty as ex-
pressed before the Assembly by DIR.
Morales was that in handing over GER
tain rights to the United States Pan
anna did not grant the whole of her
vi &c Zone
Answering the criticism that the
treaty violated the covenant Of the
League of Nations, he admitted that
Panama was committed by it to CO.
operation with the United States in
defending the canal and to regarding
herself as at war in any conflict in
which the United States might become
involved as a belligerent.
AS to the latter stipulation, how
ever, he said Panama would merely
give her assistance for the defense of
a part of her territory (the Canal
Zone) in which another country pos
sessed vital interests.
Panama" he added, maintains that
she has not renounced or transferred
TO the United States the whole of her
sovereign rights over the Canal Zone,
and that consequently, if the Panama
Canal is attacked by any other coun-
try, it is Panama's right and duty to
defend it."
League jurisdiction Denied.
Both State Department officials and
ranking members of the Senate for
eign relations committee in Washing
ton yesterday fatty declared that the
League Of Nations had no jurisdic-
ton whatever over American control
of the Canal Zone.
At the State Department the decla-
ration was also made that the ques-
tion of the exercise of sovereignty by
the United States over the zone was
not in dispute with Panama and that
the Panaman government had not sub
nitted any request for modification OF
the new treaty, which is still awaiting
action in the Panaman Congress.
Chairman Borah Of the foreign rela.
fions committee asserted that what
ever controversy there may be with
regard to sovereignty over the zone
would be settled by the United States
and Panama"
Neither the League Of Nations nor
any outside influence has anything to
do with the adjustment of that mat
ter" he added.
Senator Swanson Of Virginia, rank
i7g Democrat on the committee, SAID
that in his judgment the United States
nossesses absolute sovereignty over
the Panama Canal Zone and does not
propose TO submit that question TO
the arbitration of any tribunal"