Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-03-25 | Page 1 | United States may Gain Two Islands

UNITED STATES 1Y GII1MDS Changes to Be Made in the Treaty With Colombia to Gain Republican Support. WASHINGTON, March 24. Changes ! in the treaty with Colombia by which the United States would gain, several important military points in the vicinity 1 of the Panama canal for a $25,000,000 ! payment, are under consideration by the : state department, in the hope that enough Republican votes will be gained in the senate to secure ratification. The old treaty, withdrawn at the special Ben-ate Ben-ate session when it became apparent it could not be ratified, merely provided gaymcnt of indemnity by the United tatcs and a mutual expression of regret re-gret for ill feeling over the partition of Panama. The new treaty is expected to omit the expressions of regret, but to provide for cession by Colombia of the islands of St. Andrews and New Providence, off the Panama coast, and of the Atrato river canal route. The islands are looked upon as of strategic value. Provisions of this character were in tho first treaty negotiated with Panama by Secretary Knox in the Taft administration. Secretary Lansing is said to have received re-ceived assurances that these changes would give the treaty a good chance of ratification. The administration has been anxious to put it through to strengthen friendly relations with Central Cen-tral and South America.