Entangling Alliance

"The Republic of Panama agrees to cooperate in all possible ways with the United States in the protection and defense of the Panama Canal. Consequently, the Republic of Panama will consider herself in a state of war in case of any war in which the United States should be a belligerent, and in order to render more effective the defense of the Canal will, if necessary in the opinion of the United States Government, turn over to the United States in all the territory of the Republic of Panama, during the period of actual or threatened hostilities, the control and operation of wireless and radio communication, aircraft, aviation centres and aerial navigation."

Thus with clear, direct inclusiveness runs the central clause of a new treaty between the U. S. and Panama. Portions of the treaty leaked out (TIME, Aug. 9); but only last week was the full text released at Washington.

Further Provisos. 1) Panama will suppress any radio apparatus set up within her borders upon notice from the U. S. that it is to the detriment of the defenses of the Canal. 2) Upon due notice, the armed forces of the U. S. may proceed into or through Panama, even in peace time, for "maneuvers or other military purposes." 3) The flight of U. S. military aircraft over Panama shall be unrestricted, but other foreign aircraft shall be regulated with the cardinal purpose of protecting the Canal. 4) The U. S. receives in perpetuity the "use, occupation and control" of Manzanilla Island (at the Atlantic terminus of the Canal) and the harbor of Colon.

Significance. The treaty, which now goes for ratification to the Chamber of Panama and to the Congress of the U. S., strongly supplements the still valid Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty of 1903, and replaces the Taft Agreement abrogated in 1924.

European comment upon the treaty was caustic, last week, as keynoted by the London Times: "The projected treaty is absolutely incompatible with the position of Panama in the League of Nations. According to the League Covenant, Panama has undertaken to submit any disputes that are 'likely to lead to a rupture to arbitration or to an inquiry by the Council of the League and in no case to resort to war until a sufficient time has elapsed for an award to be rendered.

"The treaty which she now proposes to sign would reduce the value of these undertakings to exiguous proportions, since Panama might be swept into war at the heels of the United States which, of course, will have nothing to do with the League. . . .

"Latin American dissatisfaction at the United States policy in Latin-America is likely to increase as the significant southward march of the great North American colossus dawns upon the nations of Central and South America. . . .

"The United States already has absorbed Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, the Virgin Islands, Samana Bay in Santo Domingo Mole, Saint Nicholas in Haiti, Fonseca Bay and Corn Islands in Nicaragua and now, through an alliance with Panama, may acquire the Island of Manzanilla."