Nation: Opening the Great Canal Debate

Panama treaty proponents confront a parliamentary thicket

Shortly after 12:30 p.m. one day last week, James B. Allen of Alabama rose slowly to his feet from his aisle seat in the U.S. Senate and announced that he wanted to pose 17 parliamentary questions on the historic issue before the house. One was whether the Senators would have to deal with both English and Spanish versions of the matter, and one was whether amendments to the treaties were themselves subject to amendment.

And so, with all the proceedings carried live on radio for the first...

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