The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-02-28
COLONEL HOADLEY GIVES REVIEW
OFPANAMA'S STORMY HISTORY
tspecia1 TO The CitI.enl

BOSION, FEB. Zo.-ranama
and peace have been so closely as
ISOLATED in recent years thatait is
hard to believe that the little
Central American country was
once a thorn in the side of Uncle
Sam, according to Lieutenant
Colonel William T. Hoadley who
conducts Marine Corps recruiting
activities here.
In fact, Col. Hoadley said, dis
turbed conditions in that republic
made it necessary to Intervene in
its affairs several times.
"The peacemakers on these oc-
casions were usually the U. S. Ma
rines" Col. Hoadley said. 'These
expeditions were made in con-
formity with the policies OF the
Monroe Doctrine"
Panama's stormy history is in
volved with that of its neighbor,
Colombia, as Panama was a de-
partment of that country until
1908. AS early as 1860, marines
from the sloop st. Mary's were
landed there to protect American
interests and to quell a revolu-
ton.
This was not the first rumbling
of political disturbances which
were eventually to split Panama
and Colombia into two nations.
Twice before, in 1841 and 1857,
Panama had attempted to secede,
but each time returned to its as
ISOLATION with Colombia.
But in the years between 1860
and the eventual separation, ma
rines were landed on the Isthmus
from American naval vessels to
protect Americans and to estab-
lish peace on at least five differ
ent occasions.
Serious disorders occurred when
Panama finally withdrew from
Colombia in 1908, and the U. S.
Marines were landed there once
more. From that year, with the
exception of brief intervals they
remained on the Isthmus until
January, 1914, guarding Amer
lean interests until the canal was
built.
"While all branches of the serv-
ice have certain of their units
stationed at Panama today" Col.
Hoadley said, "as a matter of fact
the U. S. Marines were the only
troops occupying the Isthmus
when the United States signed
the treaty in 1904 and pushed the
canal through to completion.
To-day the Panama Canal is
perhaps the most marvellous en-
cheering work made by man. A
five-mile strip on either side of
the axis of the so mile waterway
is owned by the United States,
and the U. S. also owns and oper-
ates the railway which spans the
Isthmus.
with the exception of the
newly-built Normandie and some
other liners under construction,
the canal probably can accom-
modate any vessel afloat, as the
lock chambers have a disable
length of 1000 feet and a width
of ITO feet. Depths vary, but
are not less than az feet at sea
level sections.
"Yet even with these huge
locks there is little clearance for
our larger naval vessels, the air
plane carrier Saratoga, for ex-
ample, with its beam of los feet
has less than a yard leeway on
either side when she passes
through.
ct is expected that eventually
a third set of locks will be built,
of larger dimensions and greater
depth than the present locks. 1t
is believed that the additional set
would enable the canal to handle
all the traffic to be developed in
the next hundred years.
'The Marines campaigns in
Panama are now past history but
today they are guarding the sub
marine base at Coco Solo, near
Colon, at the Caribbean end of
the canal. They have been there
since 1922. ''f I
This final landing was, of
course. entirely peaceful and the
last of many occupations of the
Isthmus. so many of which were
made during earlier and more tur-