THE PANAMA CANAL

Evening Star, Issue 14932, 19 July 1912, Page 8

THE PANAMA CANAL

AMERICA'S POINT 01' VIEW. Prew AMOciation—By Telegraph—Copyright WASHLNGTON, July 18. Mr Moore (Pennsylvania) has introduced in tha House of Representatives a Bill authorising the Secretary of State to negotiate with Great Britain and the other Powers to neutralise the Panama Canal and divide tho constructional and maintenance expense among them. In the Senate, Senator Lodge stated that he was a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, who, however, had not reported on the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty. In his opinion, the treaty left the United States free to regulate her own commerce through the canal.' Resort to The Hague Tribunal would be avoidable if the Government paid the tolls on American ships. He believed that America would lose if she appealed to The Hague Tribunal. Mr Morgan aTgued that the remission of the tolls on American chips violated neither the letter nor the spirit of the treaty. Senator Lodge added that he did not believe that the United States was included in the nations receiving equal treatment -under th? Hay-Pauncefotc Treaty. PRESS OPINION. NEW YORK, July 18. Mr W. It. Hearst's journal advocates the tearing up of the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty. It. says that if anything on earth is more colossal than the canal it is the British impudence. The. 'New York Times' publishes the equal treatment clauses of the Canadian Waterways Treaty of 1909, and shows that the United States demanded and obtained the same treatment as the Canadians. It points out that discrimination in regard to the Panama Canal may produce discrimination against the United States ns regards the Suez Canal equally with the Canadian routes. SIR EDWARD GREY EXPLAINS. LONDON, July 18. In the House of Commons Sir E. Grey said the 1902 treaty stipulated that the Panama Canal should be open on equal terms to all nations, and that the Soez Canal rules should be observed. The Government had called the attention of the United States to some of the provisions of the Canal Bill which were inconsistent with the treaty. AUSTRALASIAN INTERESTS. MELBOURNE, July 18. The Federal House of Representatives has resolved that representations should be made to the Imperial Government with a view to safeguarding Australian interests in regard to the Panama Canal. It was also resolved that overtures be made to New Zealand with a view to talcing joint action in the matter. EQUAL TOLLS TO BE IMPOSED. NEW YORK, July 18. (Received July 19. at 8.30 a.m.) The Washington correspondent of 'The Times' states that the United States Government will accept Gieafc Britain's interpretation of the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty, and will imposs equal tolls on Americans and foreigners.