Show Your Man ManIn ManIn In Yn Washington By US U.S. Senator Orrin G. G hatchA Hatch HatchA k it A Look Loo at the Panama Canal In 1902 the US U.S. Congress Congress Congress Con Con- gress approved the Spooner Act authorizing President Theodore Roosevelt to buy rights and property from Irom a French company for lor 40 million if Colombia would land give up a strip of across the Isthmus of Panama for a canal route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans A treaty between Colombia and the United States was signed in Washington the next year but the Colombian Senate refused to ratify A revolt in the Panama area on November 3 1903 created the independent nation of Panama US U.S. naval vessels in effect prevented Colombian troops from landing to put putdown putdown putdown down the revolution The new nation was recognized by the United States three days later and by November 18 a n treaty with the United States for the Canal Zone had been approved approved ap approved ap- ap proved by the new govern govern- ment The treaty granted the US U.S. occupation use and control of the Canal Zone in perpetuity The purchase price was 10 million with annual fees of The fee now has increased to the current rate of 19 million annually In 1967 a joint announcement announcement an an- was made by bythe bythe bythe the two governments US U.S. and Panama that draft treaties had been completed on a new price for lor occupation Negative reaction in both nations precluded ded any progress towards ratification Ten years have passed and the Carter Administration Administration Administration Ad Ad- ministration has an agreement agreement agreement agree agree- ment on the Canal but most o of the details have hav been withheld from Crom th the Congress Con Since th the settlement settlement settlement settle settle- ment was reached sentiment senti senti- ment mentin in in Congress is running running run run- ning fling against the new treaty because of a lack of opportunity op op- opportunity for or input from the House and the Senate Hearings are underway in inthe inthe inthe the Senate Subcommittee on the Separation of o Powers chaired by bv b Alabama Democrat James Jumes D. D Allen and the ranking minority member Senator Orrin G. G Hatch Utah TIT It is the contention o of witnesses before the sub sub- committee that the President President President dent has violated Article IV of the US U.S. Constitution tion lion which provides The Congress shall have the t of and power rower to dispose make all needful Hules Rules and Regulations respecting respecting respecting ting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States Disposal is a major portion of the Carter treaty Money is also a factor in the treaty but the Constitution Constitution Con Con- expressly provides provides pro pro- provides vides No money shall be drawn from Irom the Treasury but in consequence of Appropriations Appropriations Appropriations Ap Ap- by law meaning approval by both houses of Congress So what kind of treaty is this 1 The estimated value of the Panama Canal today including land and equipment is 7 billion Indications are that it will be turned over overto overto overto to Panama in the year 2000 and the US U.S. will pay up to 5 3 billion to have our property taken over 2 The treaty negotiated behind closed doors will be brought to the thc Senate for ratification while in apparent violation of Article IV of the Con Con Con- 3 The US U.S. will pay millions of 01 dollars to pullout pull pullout pullout out of Panama and millions annually during the withdrawal This treaty negotiated by Sol Linowitz special ambassador ambassador ambassador am- am to the Panamanian Panamanian Panamanian Panama Panama- nian talks has been considered considered considered con con- under the supposition tion by some that in 1903 when the Panamanian government was in its formative formative for for- mathe stages the US U.S. descended on on its helpless people wrongfully took possession of oC land by t 1 f fraudulent treaty and built a ca can canal 1 ilio exploit the Panamanians There is no mention that the US U.S. supported Panamanian ln dence dente that the land in question belonged to the government of Colombia Colombia Colom Colom- h bia a or that without our assistance there would have hate been no Panama Canal In this light it is i.- not likely that people o of Utah or the Nation will ill look kind kindl kindly on a treaty offered offered of- of lj 1 under these circumstances x |