The Washington herald., 1914-03-07
COMMITTEESO 0. K.
FOR TOLLS BILL
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

with Japan or anybody else. and I would
not yield what believe to be right on
the part OF the government of the United
States through fear, whatever else 1
might do"
Mr.. Mann's words were greeted with
applause.
The vote in the House committee on
the repeal was as follows:
For-Chairman Adamson, Sims OF Ten
nessee, Talcott of New York, Stephens Of
Nebraska, Covington of Maryland. Bar
clay OF Kentucky. Montague of Virginia.
Decker of Missouri. and Stevens of New
Hampshire, Democrats; Stevens Of Min
nesota, Esch of Wisconsin. Willis Of
Ohio, and Hamilton of Michigan, Repub-
licans.
Against-Doremus of Michigan. and
O'Shaughnessy OF Maine, Democrats;
Knowland of California
The indications are that the debate on
the Sims bill will be one of the liveliest
became President.
Representative Knowland, of California,
who voted against the bill in committee
today. made a statement in which he
said that Great Britain would not be
satisfied with the Sims bill, for the rea-
sons that il does not affect section five
of the act. which he claims. authorizes
the United States TO pass its battleships
and vessels owned by citizens through
the waterway without payment Of tolls.
States Its Purpose.
The report of the fourteen majority
members of the committee states the
purpose OF the bill is Ito repeal that ex-
emption in order TO promote equality at
the canal, and goes on to say:
I'm the former report, made long be-
fore any foreign government voiced an
opinion or complaint, we recognized that
treaty stipulations required uniform tolls.
though we did not base our action solely
on that ground, but emphasized the wise
policy of fair treatment to our own peo-
pie and the propriety of permitting our
government to collect the expense of
operating the canal from the commerce
used in II, rather than to remit part OF
the tolls. allow portion of the COM
merce to pass through free, and make
the deficit up by taxing our people and
paying it out of the Treasury. We still
recognize those reasons as sound. but
deem it proper now to consider the inter-
national situation and our obligations
and policy in relation thereto"
The report then goes on to state that
no friction or strained relations with for
eign governments now exists, but ac-
knowledges that:
1.-The opposite party to the principal
treaty fails to approve of the act of
1872, and that other maritime countries
participate in this opinion" Ard the re-
port then says:
''In such a situation II is not always
necessary or wise to urge our contention,
even though fully convinced of our alb
stract rights"
The Presidents contention that there Is
nothing to be gained by the United States
adopting a policy at serious variance with
foreign opinion as to ethics and propriety
is cited in an impersonal way.
The report concludes:
mo one certainly wishes that our
glorious history should be marred by
conduct. Much less could
We for a moment consider the proposition
of forfeiting or prosecuting our powerful
position and influences as the leader
Of civilization and good government by
setting a pernicious example to other
nations and posterity by a selfish and
useless policy Of injustice, both to ou.
own people and the other nations of the
world"