LATIN AMERICA: Panama-Colombia

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At this time Panama was a province of Colombia, and soon after the Senate's refusal to ratify, Panama revolted. It is alleged that American interests stirred up the revolution. What did occur, however, was that the U. S. Navy prevented Colombia* from putting down the revolt; Panama achieved independence, the U. S. got the Panama Canal route..

Those were the times of "Teddy" Roosevelt, President of the U. S. The Panama Canal was the greatest achievement of his foreign policy, a policy which stirred up a hornet's nest about his ears. His energetic action against Colombia was called "a conspiracy carefully planned and cleverly executed," and "one that cannot be justified in morals or in law." Others referred to it as "the blackest page in our history as a nation." Still others said of the President: "Did any civilized representative of superior power ever indulge in browbeating so pitiable and so pitiless? Can such cowardly disrespect be matched in the annals of treaty-making nations?" On the other side President Roosevelt's patience was severely taxed and he had seen a half a century's dillydallying over the Panama question bring forth no fruit. He himself once said that one might as well "try to nail jelly to a wall" as to try and negotiate with Colombia. The President did not foster the revolt, but he sympathized with it and helped it after it had broken out. From a utilitarian viewpoint, if from no other, his actions were entirely justified. Even so great a critic as Lord Bryce endorsed his policy.

Much of the adverse criticism, however, was caused by Roosevelt's grandiose pomposity. "I simply lifted my foot," affirmed Roosevelt. "Oh, Mr. President," said Attorney-General Knox in Cabinet meeting, "do not let so great an achievement suffer from any taint of legality."*