The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-19
Has Already Notified Rus sia of Desire for
 Abr0gation
IGNORES HOUSE OF
 REPRESENTATIVES
Heyburn Throws Further Considera- ton of Matter Over Until To- day-House Will Be Asked
 To Concur

Washington, December 1S.-PreSluenl Taft turned over to the Senate today the task of completing the abrogation of the treaty of 1882 with Russia because of al legged discrimination against American clt- izens of Jewish faith. Ignoring the House of Representatives, the President sent a message to the Senate announcing that on Friday last he had caused notice to be forwarded to St. Petersburg that the United States desired the treaty to end January 1, 1913. This notification was or fcially handed to the representativ Of the Russian government yesterday.
 MT. Taft asked the Senate to ratify and give effect to his action. The foreign affairs committee of the Senate voted unanimously to report a resolution or ratification couched in diplomatic terms, and Senator Lodge offered 1t later m the Senate There was every reason to be- lieve that the resolution would be rushed through inasmuch as the Senate commit tee, as an act of courtesy to the House, had decided the lower branch of Congress should be asked to concur in the Sen ate S action
 Senator Hepburn of Idaho, however, took the floor and after protesting vig- orously against hasty action, asserted his right under the rules and by formal ob- jection, threw further consideration Of the mater over until tomorrow.
 Politics To Figure
 It was evident tonight that politics would enter into the fight, and the pre- diction was made freely that all obstacles would be overcome and that before the Senate adjourned the committee resolu- tion would be put through as a substitute for the House resolution, which proved objectionable to the Russian government.
 Chairman Sulzer of the House commit tee on foreign affairs, author of the House resolution. declared tonight that he believed the matter would be adjusted and that the abrogation of the treaty would be an accomplished fact before Congress recessed Thursday for the holi- days.
 Democratic leaders both in the House and the Senate are determined to claim credit for the abrogation of the treaty. senators Culberson of Texas and Hitch cock of Nebraska. the latter member i, of the foreign relations committee. served preliminary notice to this effect in the
 
 tomorrow Senator Culberson accused President Taft of trying to strip the House of one of it's prerogatives and as serted that the President was trying to steal the democratic thunder
 h his message to the Senate President Taft transmitted a copy of the letter which American Ambassador Guild at St. Petersburg had transmitted to the Rus sian foreign office. In it was expressed the view of the United States that the old treaty no longer met the political prlnci- pes or commercial needs of the two na- tions, and should be terminated. The American government with marked cour- tesy suggested further that it would be nest agreeable to this country if new treaty, along more modern lines, could be negotiated to displace the ancient docu- nent.
 , Despite this overture to the Russian government, prominent officials to- night practically admitted that there is little hope for negotiating a new treaty that would avoid the very things that were leading to the denunciation of Inc old one.
 On Dangerous Ground
 The United States, it was pointed out would be treading upon dangerous ground in trying to arrange with Russia for a reciprocal agreement looking to wider latitude In the rights of the citizens of the two countries Under the most fla vored nation'' clause of treaties the United States has with other powers, any of these could claim the right of entry for it's citizens into the United States, and there would be no such thing as re- striction of immigration
 State department officials do not be- <l tl< Tr,,tt States and Russia necessarily will be affected by the abrogation of the treaty, although a tariff war is possible, ana Russia would have the right to exclude \ American ships from any of her ports. According to the bureau of statistics the value of imports into the Unit ed States from Russia during the present I calendar year will amount to $l4000,00o, principally in hides, skins and wool. The value of exports from the United States to Russia during the year is estimated at $24,O0O,000, showing balance of $1O,- O0QO00 in favor of the United States Rus 4 sia also buys much American cotton in 4 London.,a ,and with this included the total G value of American goods Sent into the empire Is estimated at $35,OO0,0 600. bal ! ,ance of s21 100000 in favor of the United Estates. Tho American exports are prin- cipally manufacturers of agricultural ma cl:inery and cotton.
 ~ President Tafts announcement, first in II letter. to the foreign relations commit tee, and then in a message to the Sem ate, that he had taken upon himself the responsibilities of notifying Russia ot the abrogaton of the treaty, did not come as surprise It was learned last night that he had taken steps to termi- M nate the pact, and, in Associated Press dispatches, 1t was stated that the Sen- ! ate expected to ear7today that he had ! sent notification to the Russian govern- pent through American Ambassador II Guild at St. Petersburg. It also was q stated that the notification had been ] couched in the politest diplomatic Ian ! guage, and that the date of the terrni- nation of the treaty had been fixed for January 1, 19l3
 Facts Made Public
 II All of these facts were made pub, c soon after the foreign relations cornmt- q tee met. The committee was in session I for nearly three hours, but the only s&|poipts discussed were whether the House k Hild be considered in the matter, ana
 8ether the Senate should act in open
 cysion rather than behind closed doors tsN customary when dealing with foreign Y6fSsirs
 4T It was decided to recognize the House