se iwt-Third yerl EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS .where opinions Aree STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BLDG., ANN ARBOR, MICH., PHONE NO 2-3241 Truth Win Prevail"' Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers or the editors. This must be noted in a reprints FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1964 NIGHT EDITOR: LOUISE LIND Let's Give the Canal To Panama. NOW THINGS IN PANAMA are coming ernment. And in those days, the terms to a ridiculous extreme. At first one were more than liberal. Yet as time went could understand the indignity of the on the cost of existing went up, and so Panamanians, to say nothing of the nat- did canal revenues, but the cut for Pana- ural resentment by Panama citizens ma did not. Both Franklin D. Roosevelt against the foreigners living in the Canal and Harry Truman Ignored Panamanian Zone. pleas to raise the rent. President Eisen- But now the situation has become ludi- hower finally responded in the late fifties crous. Panama has declared she will with a sizable hike, but still far short of charge the United States with aggression sufficient. in the Canal Zone incident against Pan- However, it definitely does not sup- amanian citizens. port the ludicrous, even hysterical, charg- And the really stupid part of the whole es of aggression; nor does it support the controversy is that it is entirely political, severing of diplomatic relations. What True, an overly zealous teenager was al- began as an understandable jingoistic lowed by inept Canal company officials incident has developed into a politician's to touch off an international incident, campaign toy, and it simply escapes one but it has since become increasingly ap- why the United States should tolerate parent that this youngster's action was such nonsense another day. only a vehicle. The desperate Panamanian government was ready to seize upon any THE SOLUTION IS DARING, but sim- incident that came along, in order to turn pie. Give Panama the canal. it into a campaign issue. Don't sell it, lease it, rent it, or at- Secretary of State Dean Rusk has tach anystrings to it. Just hand it over. charged that the difficulty was Commu- Then travel north to Nicaragua and nist-inspired, but one is more inclined negotiate that contract to put a canal to take the view of Newsweek magazine, across that country. The Nicaraguans, which attributes the mess to a last-ditch after all, have been drooling over that whichmttributestmess toaast-ditch-,prospect for years, and they'll be glad to attempt by President Chiara's govern- have the business. And the Nicaraguan government, being even a tighter dicta- THINGS ARE NOT WELL in Panama, torship than Panama, won't have to be- you see. Many citizens are unemployed come embroiled in any nationalist and and live in squalor. And in its 60-odd years pious campaigns. of existence the Panamanian government Build a bigger and better canal across has done little or nothing to correct the Nicaragua. Transportation experts argue problem. This is not surprising, howeverthat the Panama Canal is obsolete any- probemP. This'orprisowever, way. Set canal toll rates just below those since Panama's government is dominated charged by Panama and keep them there. by a small clique of well-to-do families The result should be obvious. who are not anxious to see the peasantsTte living in comfort for fear they will then Daring, yes. But the threat of such a decide they ought to be having a say in move ought to be enough to draw the deciderthentto bPanamanian government up short. They are smart enough to know that the canal In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt would be an awfully expensive white ele- literally "took Panama." He did in fact en- phant, and undoubtedly they would sud- gineer and insure the success of its re- denly be willing to restore diplomatic re- volt against Colombia. No one can seri- lations and begin sensible negotiations ously dispute that if it were not for for revising the canal lease. the United States, Panama would not be in existence today. IN THIS DAY of real problems over such Also in 1904, TR quickly negotiated the world problems as Viet Nam, Berlin Panama Canal contract with the new gov- and Africa, the United States can ill-af- ford to become embroiled in an internal Con .itproblem of a little piece of land called Conflict? Panama. For all the injustice real and/or imag- IT IS RATHER AMUSING to note that ined, the Panamanians have been most while one branch of the federal gov- fortunate to have the Panama Canal. ernment warns the American people that They owe their very freedom to it. And there is a definite link between smoking it would seem they have forgotten what and cancer another branch, the Bureau it was like before the United States ar- of the Budget, anticipates a three per rived. cent increase in tax revenue from tobacco So perhaps the United States should levies. One shouts the danger while the leave. Then the new chums could have a other lives off the spoils. little taste of the old times. -L. GRAFF -MICHAEL HARRAH THELIAISON: Voting: Who & when. Gerald Storeh, City Editor a ,, . ,. a g - ,f . s , r/ ~lt4,. t % J Nh tyI pf S y; F ! 4 o 3Nt 1 Y'i r I "..;r~ j t«S 4 "" 4.