Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-27

and Pacific ports, the project looms In.
creasingIy important when considered
in relation to our foreign and territorial
commerce: particularly II the possibili-
ties of congestion at Panama are con-
sidered.
AS Is generally known, the United
States Government has ALREADY IN,
rights, under the Bryan-C hamorro
treaty and need anticipate no difnculties
in obtaining whatever other rights are
necessary. The example of Colombia
and Panama, whose dificulties with the
United States were solved, whose com.
merce expanded and whose material
well-being greatly improved as result
of construction of the Panama Canal,
emphasizes this point.
Nicaragua and Costa Rica would un.
doubtedly welcome q similar invasion OF
and President elect of Nicaragua, IN
discussing the plan after o visit to Mr..
Hoover aboard the battleship Maryland.
last November, strongly advocated the
canal, describing 1t as q "bulwark OF
freedom and demonstration OF lib
erty"
There is no reason to doubt that q
Nicaraguan canal zone would be trans
formed into an American zone like that
of Panama. with O military reservation,
and be administered by the War De-
partment.
Benefits Held Obvious.
The benefits which would follow for
both Nicaragua and the United States
are obvious. AS an element in our
national defense its value would be
great. At the last session Of Congress
there was much discussion Of the old
problem of freedom OF the seas" Dur
ing debate on the construction of is
additional cruisers for the United States
Navy, the emphasis was on methods Of
protecting OUR growing maritime COM
meree. 1t Is apparent that II We are to
maintain a mobile force of swift, we'll
armed cruisers for the protection of our
trade, 1t would be to our advantage to
place at their disposal not only one but
two canals, to facilitate their movement
between the Atlantic and the Pacific. A
glance at the map will show naval bases
Of other nations now in the near vicin-
ity Of the Nicaragua area. In view of
the great expansion of air forces. an
additional aviation base in Central
America would also prove Of tremendous
strategical value.
Financial Aspects Good.
Like the engineering and military
the Nicaraguan project seem, at this
time. encouraging A glance at the
records Of the Panama Canal will illus
trate this point. When finally COM
pleted. the waterway cost $500, OOO, 600.
Of which $275,000. 900 represents the
investment In a commercial sense, and
Sis, 900, 0oO-including the $4,000, 900
paid to the French as reimbursement
for the work they had done-has been
charged to the national defense. In
1928 the net annual revenue from the
canal amounted to approximately 500
00O, 000-an income representing about
tn per cent on the S275, OOO, 900 COM
mercial investment There seems to be
no reason why q parallel watelw way
should not in time. become to q COM
parable degree self-supporting.
The legislation approved by Congress
neither authorizes nor appropriates for
new canal 1t provides instead. for
a thorough survey which will enable
the Government to act intelligently on
the project With this information at
hand, the United States will be in q
position to determine whether or not
it should approve a plan which. in the
light of present knowledge, seems highly
important to her future commerce, her
diplomatic relationships and her ma
tional security.