Show i. V HIGH LEVEL LE C. 1 President Roosevelt's noose eJR ec decision ion In fa- fa a- a vol 0 of or a high level canal at Panama nay may bo be le called caled the triumph of common commonsense sense enso over o an on unreasonable pride The Tho engineers who decided for a n sect sea ea level evel regarded the matter mailer mater from Crom a n I purely technical standpoint They ailed to consider either cither econom economy or time ime Not OL a single one of or them would woul probably have A risked his reputation by jy giving anything J like the Iho precise cost of or a sea level J canal or em the exact time Ime in JI which It II would be possible to lo construct it it They concluded et on general gen gen- en- en eral ral principles that a sea level levei le el canal was vas preferable and there are some for believing that all al things being even en It Jt would be he but alt all al things are alo re not equal in fact act the time Inequalities are arp re startling ol ln Involving almost t Ible ble expense e and an nn indefiniteness a as ls to time which would cast a n doubt doubton on the usefulness of oC the canal after it I t was finished The he lay a advocates s of or a sea sea level Je el canal anal seem to be badly confused The They speak of or the Chagres river the Culebra cut and the Bohea dam as lions ions lons in the path of a high level canal canals canalas as s thou though h they would not be he obstacles des cles les to the tho construction of oC a sea level le el canal anal canal The first plan of oC De Dc Lesseps and an ml his en engineers who were quite quie as skillful as ns those on the consulting board was a sea level canal but the time formidable character of or these cering problems finally chan changed el the lie plan to lo a high level Je el In building a aea asea asea sea ea level le el canal nil all al these difficulties would have ha e lo to be overcome and an In the thease case ase of the thc Culebra cut the problem would woul be vastly greater grealer than it i will willbe willbe wi be in making maling a high level Je el canal Moreover it I Is a simple engineering problem to build the high level le el canal canai canalo so o that it can be bc converted con into a aea asea asea sea ea level tl Je canal in case traffic revenues and nd experience eXI should justify jusUf such a aSt St step lep e p. p The anxiety for tor a sea ea level canal exhibited in some quarters seems to tobe tobe tobe be uncalled for It would possess no such such uch n advantages as would Induce a n prudent government go to make the In- In vestment There would be ie fewer locks s amid ind ships could pass paR through It I quicker It I would have ha e locks however how- how over ever er e and would bo be In no sense alCh o. a a ii le it l canal like ke the Suez Suez Thereal The Thereal real question queston Is Is will wJ a n high level le el canal suffice for the tIme needs of or commerce Those who have ha e favored oret fa a sea sen level le el have ha lave never pr n said sid that the high level le canal will wi not answer the lie practical of ol commerce for Cor generations The They want vant to build for fm a remote fu future In- In ture when commerce may haea have ha e a adopted opted other oilier entirely novel no el methods and an any canal may be he of oC little value The people who arc are living liv- liv 1 ing InS ng then can decide for themselves themselves' whether the thc canal should be enlar enlarged enlarged- ed I This country countr is wealthy but no co coun- coun n- n ti ry y is rich enough nough to In Indulge In speculative spec spec- spec spec-I extravagance When hen th the I United States Stales ha has built hui a canal al at at Panama which will wi accommodate ate time the worlds world's commerce it will vIti wJ have e 11 done hone all al that thai It I has agreed to do and anti all al that It can be reasonably expected to do I |