The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-17
Clash of Empires in Panama
BY ROBERT w. DUNN

"a watchfulness amounting to suspicion on our
part is demanded in Panama says Henry Kit
tredge Norton. professional writer and trumpeteer
for American imperialism, in the current Worlds
Work The sensational title of the article is
why Britishers in Panama?"
The Panama Republic is the American pro-
tectorate that covers the isthmus. 1t is the piece
of territory that President Roosevelt took to use
his own words, from Colombia That is, when
Colombia refused to sell it to him he encouraged
a revolution, sent arms to the revoutionists,
promptly recognized them and then bought from
the new government the land needed for the
canal Years later it was thought best to pay
Colombia s25000,Oo0 for the stolen property, as
this was good way to smooth down Colombian
feelings when Andrew Melons and Rockefelers
oil companies needed concessions.
Axis of Naval Machines
The American Empire built the canal and
fortified it. 1t is now the axis of the American
naval machine. And any move, especially by the
rival British Empire, within several hundred
miles of this precious imperialist possession is
enough to give the Washington Wall Street gov
eminent the shvers
1t seems according to the Norton story, that
the British have been stealithy picking off con-
cessions within American imperialism's own
keep-off- the-graze signs. The Panama Corpora
ton is the name of the company used to do the
job. One concession was bagged in 1924, one in
1925 one in 1929 and the last one, right up along
side the Canal Zone itself, in 1880. This does not
please the American expert, Norton and the
Hoovers and Melons for whom he speaks. Hence
the article in which he tells us that these conces-
sions are supposed to be for mining but that no
minerals have been produced, at least nothing
proportionate to the size of the investment
For Mining Or War?
Furthermore, this is no mere k-se1ling ven
ture Some of the biggest names in British En-
pire development in the deal including Lord Mel
chett with whom British labor leaders have been
so chummy in various CHESAPEAKE programs in
recent years 1t looks, says Mr. Norton, IS if the
British Empire was behind the company, and
that these areas supposedly for mining are really
jumping off base for the British when they want
to attack the Panama Canal.
This is the way Norton puts it, ut would be
possible to bring into the concession, almost
within sight of the Canal, an appreciate num-
Der of knockdown arplanes labelled as mining
machinery. High explosives could be brought in
the same manner "for mining operations" A suf-
fcient personnel for the operation of such planes
could be gathered as engineers and superin-
tendents"
Then, suppose we (the Wall Street govern
ment R.D) should arrive at the point of military
conflict with Great Britain. What could those
planes do?"
They would slip by the defense of the canal
| and drop bombs Norton adds: This would be
an exploit of the greatest value to Great Britain,
| were she at war with u.s."
Is 1t "Unthinkable?"
| So the 4unthinkabe war" with the British
cousins is out in the open again! London con-
| ferences and oily words from Macdonald and
| Hoover seem to fade away in the face of the
concrete realities of the $1o0oO,OOo Panama Cor
poration which Norton says has been stirring up
| hostility against the United States right under
| the defense of the canal itself
Those who refuse to face the war danger"
and think II is mere slogan of radicals and
nti-imperialists might well consult Mr.. Norton.
And for background data they might read again
| the substantial data on the same subject in Lud
well Dennys America Conquers Britain.
| This is only one of many signs that point to
the approaching imperialist war.