Evening star., 1947-12-27

u. ). Withdrew Forces
From Panama 10 Help
Hemisphere Solidarity
Move Also Was Intended
To Block imperialism
Propaganda Of Reds
By Jay G.. Hayden

Two IIldJO1 luVci lAo e4oAAoA oaAASo@
rassments prompted the swift with
drawal OF American troops from
Panama, following unanimous re-
lection by that countrys National
Assembly of treaty which would
have extended United States occu-
patton OF airbases on Panamanian
soil.
First, most Of the Latin-American
nations, including Panama, not yet
have ratified the Pan-American
Mutual Defense Pact, drafted at the
recent Rio de Janeiro conference.
And any appearance Of United
States hard -fstedness in dealing
with Panama obviously would play
into the hands of political elements
resisting this treaty on the ground
that 1t would facilitate United
States domination Of the hemls-
phere.
Second, an appearance OF United
States toughness toward its Amer
lean neighbors would be used by
Russian propagandists as an illus
tration of what European nations
NAV expect from us under the Mar
shall plan.
Politicians Saw "Holdup."
There is strong suspicion, in fact,
that Panamanian politicians saw
this as a situation in which Uncle
Sam was ripe for another OF
the adroit holdups which have
featured United States relations
with the Panamanian republic ever
since President Theodore Roosevelt
brought 1t into being.
The main issue in this instance
was the length Of United States
lease of the large airbase at Rio
Hata which was built to protect the
Pacific approach to the Panama
Canal after the beginning of wal
with Japan. Contemplating an ex-
penditure of $4,000, 900 to make this
base capable of handling BIS
bonbers, Secretary of State Mar
shall first asked for a 99-year tenure
and the negotiation finally worked
downward to a 10-year initial lease
period, with right Of renewal for 1C
years, written into the rejected
treaty. The contention Of the Pana-
manian assemblymen was that the
lease should run for no more than
fve years.
The shorter the lease, Of course
the quicker the United States will
have to come back, hat In hand, to
ask for renewal And the bigger our
expenditure on the base, the more
opportunity to make us pay through
the nose for each lease extension.
Economy Depends on U. S.
In any event the United States
provides most OF Panamas living
Forty per cent of its 631 900 citizens
work for the Panama Canal admin
istration: 327 ships fly the Panama
flag but almost all are American
owned; 81 per cent of Panamanian
exports go to the United States. And
most important of all to the Pan
amanian economy is the expendi-
ture by tens of thousands Of
Americans employed in operation OF
defense of the canal, and the great
number Of American tourists at.
tracted by the canal.
To just what extent President
Nh. CT
the Panamanian republic into ex
istence has been a subject of bite
dispute, but a payment Of $25, 900.
900 to Colombia in 1923 constituted
an inferential admission by th'
United States that Colombia to thai
extent was wrongfully despoiled.
The argument mainly offered II
Justification of TR.'s action wa!
that without it there might never
have been a Panama Canal. In 1908
while the Colombian Congress wa!
stalling on q treaty providing TO-
United States construction of tht
canal, citizens Of Colombia's Pan
anna Province, including the cana
site, started q revolt.
Colombian troops sent to checl
this rebellion were met and defeated
by Al United States Marines LANDED
from the cruiser Nashville, on thu
excuse that the United States wa!
bound by treaty to keep the isthmu'
open and civil war would close it.
When the Panamanian rebels, ,
few days later, announced thu
establishment of government
President Roosevelt made grea
haste in recognizing 1t.
Relations of the United State
and Panama over the years hav'
been reasonably amicable, but no
without frequent greasing by us o
the Panamanian palm.