Panama Treaty Progress

Panama Treaty Progress

The failure some months ago of the Panama Senate to ratify "the treaty of alliance and friendship," negotiated between Panama and the U. S. in 1924, was ascribed last week by Secretary of State Frank Billings Kellogg to articles published in the European press last year.

These articles asserted that ratification of the treaty by Panama would be equivalent to the surrender of her sovereign rights, and they pointed out that Panama, as a member of the League of Nations, would be compelled to file the instrument at Geneva and that the League would then "abrogate" it.

Secretary Kellogg denied that the treaty in any way placed Panama under the protection of the U. S. and that, anyway, the League had no power to abrogate a treaty made by the U. S. with a foreign power.

The treaty, however, requires Panama "to consider herself in a state of war in case of any war in which the United States should be a belligerent." This clause also finds its opponents in Panama, who consider that it detracts much from the full sovereignty of the country, and it is this clause that has been so violently attacked in Europe on the ground that it violates Article XII of the League Covenant.

Attempts will be made to re-open discussions in Washington this fall, to which the U. S. is not opposed. An effort will probably be made to meet Panaman wishes by according greater trade advantages, as the U. S. regards the war clause as of the utmost importance.