| Show Expansion of Canal Facilities Asked ed as Defense Precaution S 'S Gatlin locks the She end at al western of oj Panama canal anal WASHINGTON Construction lon of ofa I Ia a third set of 01 locks for the Panama canal Instead canal Instead of an entirely new new canal emal at Nicaragua Nicaragua-Is is being dis dis- discussed discussed i cussed seriously by the Roosevelt administration and members of the house and senate military affairs committees Although the United States signed a treaty with Nicaragua in 1914 un under un- un der den which canal rights were established the war department points out there would mid be little economic or military advantage to a 8 a second canal More important Import nt it It would cost between and compared with the expenditure for increasing increasIng ing the Panama canals canal's capacity War department plans in Panama are linked with President Roose Roose- Roosevelt's Roosevelt's velt's program to Increase the zones zone's military pot personnel as part of ot the current rearmament rea program The new locks would accommodate the largest ships all but a few of which are already alre-ady able to cross the canal The Th project would be liquidated by Increased earnings it is estimated Annual tolls of would pro pru provide vide ride for interest payments and a II sinking fund rund to amortize not only the cost of new nv locks locis but also of or orthe the in bonds still out outstanding I standing on the original canal I i I The chief thief argument In favor or of a anew anew anew new Nicaraguan canal is Its mill mili military tary desirability Proponents claim claiman an attacking enemy might bottle up the entire American fleet in the Pan Pan- Panama Panama Panama ama canal but this could be avoid avoided ed by having a second passage Opponents maintain the cost would be prohibitive In addition to the original expense the government would be forced to maintain a mill mill- tary tory garrison equal to that now on guard at Panama The route would be considerably longer requiring from 25 5 to 30 hours for passage as against eight hours required at Panama The new Panama locks would w uld ac accommodate ac- ac accommodate all expected transportation tion Increases for tor the next ext century giving the canal carml capacity a to han han- handle handIe die dle five times the traffic now moving moving ing across It But the possibility at Nicaragua is not being overlooked An army arm of of- officer firer is stationed there constantly to keep plans up to This route would utilize the huge Lake Nicara Nicaragua gua loo and follow up plans first started by b Portuguese settlers in 1550 Ont One suggestion would make malIc the canal a private venture but the war department depart depart- ment meat calls attention to difficulties encountered when hen private enterprise sought sou ht to build bund the Panama canal |
