24 AUGUST 1912, Page 2

On Monday Mr. Taft sent a special message to Congress

urging it to pass a resolution declaring that foreigners who

think themselves unfairly treated in respect of tolls in the Panama Canal may appeal to the American Supreme Court. His suggestion was rejected by the Senate. We cannot but think that Mr. Taft's plan was a nerveless and flabby expedient. In a case where the rights of foreign countries are involved under an international treaty the only proper appeal is obviously to an international court. We notice that when Mr. Taft commended the proposed resolution to the Senate he expressed his own view that the exemption of American coastwise shipping from tolls would not be a violation of the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty.