Evening star., 1935-01-23

Another demonstration of the ideal
relations between the United States
and Canada as well as lesson to the
world on how two civilized and
friendly nations can settle disputes is
applauded by the American press in
commenting on the decision in the
I'm Alone case. Under the decision
of the American-Canadian Judicial
Commission, given by Justice Van De-
vanter Of the United States Supreme
Court and Chief Justice Sir Lyman
Poore Duff of the Canadian Supreme
Court, the United States must pay
$25, 900 damages and apologize to Can
ada for the sinking of the Canadian
rum runner by the guns of Coast
Guard cutter outside Of the twelve
mile limit.
The Canadian government" recalls
the Bloomington 1ll) Paragraph,
brought action for damages, and the
case has been hanging fire for four
years. OF the sum required to be
paid. $4,000 goes to the widow and
children of sailor on the I'm Alone
who was drowned when the ship sank.
Various other items are to be paid to
others Of the crew who lost their per-
sonal property or suffered personal in
jurries. The court ruled that the sink
ing of the Canadian boat was not
justified by any principle Of interna-
tional law The damage is one item
in the general bill of expense which
the Federal Government had to meet
in its 12-year effort to enforce prohi-
bition. and was the result OF one OF
its major mistakes in that course"
The decision may not satisfy every
body" comedies the Manchester On.
HI Union, but the point is that the
matter has followed the regular proc
ess of litigation, and the recommended
tions of the commissioners will be
promptly met and the incident for
gotten. The friendly relations be-
tween the two nations will be in no
way impaired, but each will have an
added respect for the others willing
ness to deal justly. Some OF the ma
tions of Europe may study this Incl
dent with profit"
THE United States Coast Guard"
according to the Tampa (Fla) Daily
Times, 'is enlightened about the num-
Der of sea leagues necessary to assure
even a rum runners safety, as regards
gunnery practice" The Milwaukee
Journal declares: WARS have been
begun on no more provation than this.
We lament that. We think nations
are backward which thus subordinate
their young mems lives to petty ques-
tions of damages, national honor or
national humiliation. The way for
nations to avoid war is to submit their
differences to civil determination.
Most of them have agreed to do TINS
within limits. They have set up and
support a World Court to do exactly
the kind of thing that was done in
adjusting this claim of Canada against
the United States"
Another triumph for international
amity" is seen by the Schenectady,
N. Y, Gazette, while the Worcester
Evening Gazette expresses the judg-
ment: "The whole affair now seems
a trif1e. Yet sinking another nations
boat may be serious business, If the
other nation is looking for trouble.
The real importance of the case is the
demonstration it affords of the ease
with which difficulties can be settled
between friendly nations that are
gifted with the same kind of common
sense, and speak the same diplomatic
language"
"Out Of incidents such as this one,"
says the Columbus, Ohio, Dispatch,
come many developments not fore
seen at the time. In this case is the
acknowledgement that the United
States was in the wrong in sinking
the ship, thus reaffirming that the ma
..tion subscribes to the freedom of the