The Washington times., 1935-08-10
Panama Seeks
New Treaty
With us.
Ry James T. WiILian1s, ".

q new treaty With the Republic
of Panama to take the place Of
the treaty of 1908.
Nevertheless, there is grave
danger that the Department Of
State, in the self.assumed role
of Santa Claus to the wide
world, is about to sacrifice the
treaty of 1903 and Supplant it
with a new treaty that would
jeopardize the jugular vein of
American defense in both the
Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.
In october, 1888, soon after
the President of Panama paid
a visit to the President of the
United States, the government
of Panama established in Wash.
ington what it called the Pan.
ANA Treaty Commission.
Originally this commission
was composed of the Panaman.
ian Minister to the United
States and two of his country.
men. The third member of the
commission fell i'll, returned to
Panama and resigned. Approx
mately 80 meetings have been
held by officials of the Depart
ment of State with the members
of this commission. These
meetings have developed the
nature of the extraordinary con.
cessions which Panama is seek.
ing from the United States.
IN PERPETUITY
Although the detailed list of
these concessions is closely
guarded there is a growing ap-
prehension among Americans at
home and abroad regarding the
effect upon the United States
should the treaty of 1903 be
supplanted with a new treaty.
The treaty of 1908 provided
for the construction, use, &C.
cupation and control by the
United States of the Canal Zone
for the purpose of the mainte-
nance, operation, sanitation and
protection of the canal.
BY the terms of this treaty
the United States guaranteed
the independence of the Repueo-
lie of Panama.
The Republic Of Panama in
turn granted to the United
States ''in perpetuity" the use,
occupation and control of the
Canal Zone and other lands and
waters, including islands neces.
sary for the construction, main.
tenance, operation, sanitation
and protection of the canal.
Within the Canal Zone and
the territory included within it's
grant Panama granted to the
United States the same rights,
power and authority the United
States would have possessed
and exercised if it were the SOW
ereign of the territory.
Panama granted lin perpetu-
ity" also a complete monopoly
for the construction, mainte.
nance and operation of any sys.
tenn of communication by means
of canal or railroad across it's
territory between the Caribbean
Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
Panama granted to the United
States within the limits of the
cities of Panama and Colon and
adjacent harbors and territories
the right to acquire by purchase,
or by the exercise of the right
of eminent domain, whatever
lands, buildings, water rights or
other properties the United
States might require.
1t was agreed by the treaty.
of 1908 that the cities of Pan
anna and Colon should comply
in perpetuity" with all the san
itary ordinances imposed by the
United States and that the
United States should have the
right and authority to enforce
the same, whenever the Govern
ment of Panama was unable or
unwilling to enforce them.
And of no less vital impor-
lance to the defense of the
Canal is the following grant of
right and authority made by
Panama to the United States in
this same treaty of 1903:
Panama granted to the United
States Gin perpetuity' the right
and authority to maintain pub
lie order in the cities of Panama
and Colon and adjacent harbOrs
and territories, whenever in the
judgment of the United States
the Republic of Panama should
not be able to maintain such
order.
This concluding provision in
Article VII Of the treaty Of
1908 was regarded by Theodore
Roosevelt, then President Of the
United States, and by John Hay,
then Secretary of State, as the
very heart of that covenant.
Yet this is the provision which
Panama seeks along with others
to have eliminated. In fact,
Panama is seeking an entirely
new treaty governing the future
Of the Canal Zone that would
put the defense Of the Panama
Canal in jeopardy.
There is nobody today in the
Department of state who is
competent to pass upon the de-
Tense requirements of the United
States in the Panama area. Only
the high comma: 1 of the Ameri-
can Army and Navy is qualified
to do that.
And if there is anybody in
the Department of State who
is capable of improving Inon