OCR Text |
Show ou TAFT ACTION IS CRITICISED English Papers Score President for Signing the Canal Bill London, Aug. 2C. Most of the London Lon-don newspapers yesterday printed articles ar-ticles in wnich regret Is expressed that President Taft Igned the Panama Pana-ma canal bill and they unite In declaring de-claring that the British government will fail in Its duty If It omits to Insist In-sist that the matter be referred to The Hague. They also a&ree that the president'; memorandum docs nothing to remove the British objections. objec-tions. Tho Standard says: "It would indeed be unfortunate if the magnificent scheme which is calculated cal-culated to benefit mankind In general proved to be futile and the cause of International bickering' The Dally Express In an editorial headed " Dishonored," declares that the protest of the American press has been a splendid vindication of tho honor of the American people bul that the signature will remain a blot on tho republic's ioputation. "It is lamentable." tho Express says, "that Mr. Taft is not strong enough to resist the politicians and act in accordance with the call of national na-tional confidence All English BpeaU-ing BpeaU-ing nations must view with sorrow the sight of tho United States dragging Its honor, mud-bespattered, beforo the world. In the long run America will be the sufferer' Taft Is Scored. The Daily Mall says: "It might have been excusable merely to attach his signature, but Mr. Taft did not scruple to give the bill his benediction in a memorandum which was worthier of a pettifogging solicitor than the chief of a great republic. re-public. The memorandum -contains not a single reference of an apjeal either to arbitration or the law courts. A year ago President Taft moved the world to admiration by proposing an arbitration treaty. What 1b the world to think of this proposal now7" The Times editorially referring to the Taft memorandum says "All that can be said for tho present pres-ent Is that the law still appears to be Incompatible with the plain meaning of the Hay-Paunceforte treaty Tho president is asking the raombers of congress to make themselves judges in their own case, which is also his. The step is more remarkable if the statement is correct that Mr. Taft desires foreigners in certain circumstances circum-stances to have the right to appeal to the American courta. "Should the text of the law hear out our view that It gravely violates our clear treaty rights, wo shall, renew re-new our representations to Washington Washing-ton and, failing a satisfactory settlement, settle-ment, shall appeal to toe arbitration treaty of 1908 and request that the controversy be referred to The Hague. "We absolute' refuse to contemplate contem-plate tho Idea that America will refuse re-fuse arbitration. It Is hardly credible after so preaching arbitration to oth-erB oth-erB thoy Bhould cynically decline to adopt it whore it concerns themselves. them-selves. Such refusal would inevitably create an Indisposition on tho part of all self-respecting nations to enter Into contractual relatione with a state that proved ltBelf the exclusive right of interpreting the measure of Its own obligations," cm |