The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-25
Must Decide at Once on
What Course to
Pursue.
LIKELY TO REFER
MATTER TO BRYCE
Senators Are Divided in Opin'
ion as TO Knox's Note, Those
Who Favor Arbitration Be-
ing in Opposition to His
Position-Othera Are
Supporting Him.

Washington, January M.--Secretary
Knox's reply to the British protest
against the exemption OF American
coastwise shipping from toiis In lns
Panama Canal having been received
in London, il is incumbent upon tue
British Foreign Office 70 com" 10
decision at once as 10 the course 10 DC
pursued in the continuance OF the ne
rotiations: TO determine whether the
effort shall be continued to adjust the
supposed differences between the Two
countries by further exchanges or 10
accept Secretary knoxs oner 70 e1-
change ratification OF the hnoA-
Bryce general arbitration treaty as
f-amended by the Senate and refer 20
speciaI commission the task OF finding
/ the actual facts as basis OF possipie
arbitration
( Oppose knox's Position.
Senators favorable to arbitration
were generally disposed to-day 70 go
on record in opposition TO Mr. Knox
/ position Senator Mccumber. hepun
Iican and Hitchcock. Democrat. ootn
members OF the Committee on Foreign
Relations. expressed themselves. Sena-
I tor McCumber said
] The secrefarys letter does not alter
the fact that we agreed b. treaty 10
treat all nations alike in connection
with the canal and that we also agreed
By another treaty 10 submit ali sucn
questions as this TO arbitration.
Senator Hitchcock said fne repiy
/ OF Secretary Knox demonstrates that
/ in exempting from tolls vessels engaged
( in the coastwise traffic. Congress prac-
ttcalIy voted 10 subsidize American
shipe at the expense Of the taxpayers
He asserts that the loss falls on the
American taxpayers and none on
/ British shipping. To my MIND. TINS
presents a reason for changing the law.
unless We are TO embark on program
of voting ship subsidies.
: Those who oppose arbitration we're
pleased with the Knox note Senator
Fletcher. OF Florida. said Secretary
Knox certainly is right in saying that
there has been no violation of the
treaty to date do not favor the
arbitration Of the toll question nor the
! repeal of the ia~. but IL il should be
come necessary. should be smiling 70
haze the Nhols question paesed upon
I BY our own sS0pr1rse Court.
Senator Townsend said II feel
now "a I have felt all the time that the
Senate acted within its legal night
under the treaty I object to sub
hitting the matter TO arbitration, and
II it should reach the point where II
would be necessary to refer the matter
70 The Hague tribunal ] would IN pre-
ference repeal the law because rear
serious complications might arise
through arbitration
May Refer 1t to Bryce
There is some expectation in official
circles here that the British Foreign
office will facilitate the conclusion
of negotiations by referring Secretary
Knox's note to Am bassador Bryce with
instructions that will give him practi-
cally z free hand in dealing directly
with the Secretary of State and Chand-
Ter Anderson. the counsellor of the de-
partment who was instrumental IN
framing the American note in the ef-
fort to reach satisfactory conclusion
Considerable speculation exists as to
the probable course Of the BRUSH
government respecting the reservs-
ticns contained in Sir Edward Grey :
note touching the provisions of the tolls
act. forbidding use OF the canal by
railroad owned ships. II Is assumed
that the British Foreign Office has re-
| Trained from defining its position in
this matter until the United States
actually undertakes 20 exclude such
vessels from the canal. when the issue
promptly will be made.