198 AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS 



the neighborhood of the channel could be tolerated, which 

 would in any way render hazardous peaceful passage through 

 the canal. The danger of hostile acts committed when un- 

 friendly relations exist between two nations would have to be 

 provided against. For all " accidents " the United States 

 would alone be responsible under her sole guarantee. Thus 

 the United States would undoubtedly be forced to assume 

 a more or less active, though unwelcome, interest in the 

 never ceasing revolutions of those turbulent Central Ameri- 

 can states. 



The liabilities of the United States would only begin here. 

 To fulfil her promise alone and unaided to maintain the 

 " strict neutrality " of the canal, she would needlessly burden 

 herself with a task which under the most favorable conditions 

 of universal peace would prove irksome and expensive, and 

 which, upon the outbreak of hostilities at home or abroad, 

 might become onerous in a high degree. But granting 

 immunity from foreign intervention, in times of peace, what 

 would be the extent and character of her obligations toward 

 nations in time of war? The political complications in East- 

 ern Asia, consequent upon territorial changes, have already 

 sown the seeds of jealousy and bitter feeling in Europe. It is 

 not unlikely that conflicts of European powers will result. 

 In case of any war between two or three great maritime 

 powers, and particularly in the event of one growing out of 

 interests in Eastern Asia, the isthmian canal would, beyond 

 question, become involved. This would naturally lead to a 

 naval demonstration at one or the other entrance to the canal. 

 Suppose, for instance, that England, free from treaty obliga- 

 tions to observe the neutrality of the canal, should attempt 

 to blockade the Atlantic entrance, to prevent the entrance or 

 exit of French, German, or Russian vessels. Would it not 

 become the duty of the United States at once to raise the 

 blockade ? The injured party might come to her assistance, 

 but would that not inevitably draw her into a foreign war? 

 - a war in which, in all probability, the United States would 

 not have the slightest material interest. Then, it may safely 

 be assumed that from the moment the United States consti- 



