Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-05
Mr.. Wilson Personally Urges
Congress to Repeal Canal
Toll Exemption.
ADDRESS READ IN HOUSE
APPEALS FOR SUPPORT
Should Reverse Action Without
Quibble or Hesitation, He Says.
Bill Introduced.

f1eSiueHt W ilSOn personally Appeared
to Congress. assembled in joint session
today. to sustain the national honor of
the United States in upholding treaty
obligations by repeating the Panama
tolls exemption against which Great
Britain protests. He asked Congress
to do that 'in support of the foreign
policy of the administration and added
that an exemption for American ships
not only was "a mistaken economic
policy" but was in contravention of the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty.
It shall not know how to deal with
other matters of even greater delicacy
and greater consequence If you do not
grant it to me in ungr1dging measure"
said the President.
THE large thing to do is the only
thing we can afford to do-a voluntary
withdrawal from. a position everywhere
questioned and misunderstood We ought
to reverse our action without raising the
question whether we were right or wrong.
and SO once more deserve our reputation
for generosity and the redemption of
every obligation without quibble or hesi-
tation-'
Question Subject of Dispute.
The Panama tolls question has been a
subject of dispute for nearly two years.
Diplomatic correspondence between Great
Britain and the United States found the
question unsettled when President Taft
left office. Except for an assurance to
James Bryce. then British ambassador,
when he left the United States a year
ago, that the question would be taken up
Of
dent Wilson has never directed any Off
cial communication to England on the
tolls question.
The President recently told callers he
had never discussed the matter formally
or informally with the British ambassa-
dor here, Sir Cecil Spring-Rice. because
he believed the obligation on the part Of
the United states to repeal the exemption
clause was one which this government
itself should realize without outside In
nuence or pressure.
Administration leaders In both House
that. with the delivery of q message by
him showing that International circum-
stances had arisen since the measure was
last debated, the Presidents suggestion
for repeal would be = met with prompt
action. a
Presidents sixth personal address to
the legislative branch Of the govern
ment. the Capitol corridors were
crowded with men and women favored
with tickets Of admission to the gal
leries. Extra police were stationed
about the building to prevent over
crowding.
The interstate commerce committee
expects to report a bill for repeal with
in a few days
Daughters Of President Attend.
rAo rJo,,en horher and Galleries
were packed as usual to hear the
and German ambassadors and other
members of the diplomatic corps were
In spaces reserved for them. No off1cial
of the British embassy was present
The Misses Wilson had places in the
executive gallery. and Mrs. Wilson. for
the first time. was absent. She was
not yet recovered from the shock of a
fall in the White House a day or two
ago.
Secretary Bryan, who had been dis
cussing the Mexican situation with the
House foreign affairs committee, took
a seat with the diplomats just before
the joint session convened.
The Senate was announced at 1929
and, headed by the Vice President, filed
into the seats reserved in the front
rows of the House chamber.
a
escort the President to the chamber, con-
sisting of Representatives Underwood.
Fitzgerald and Mann and Senators Kern,
Swanson and Gallinger.
President Wilson reached the Capitol
ten minutes before the time for the read
ing and waited in Speaker Clark's room
until 1890 o'clock, when he was escort
ed into the chamber and promptly began
reading his brief address as soon as a
burst of applause had died away
Message Is Very Brief.
Mr.. Wilson'S message was 30 brief
that he had finished reading almost BE-
fore the surprised galleries realized he
had begun 1t took less than five min
utes and as another burst of applause
greeted its close Mr.. Wilson hurried out
of the chamber and drove back to- the
White House. The joint session dis
solved at once and the two houses re-
sumed their work.
Not a sound had interrupted the Presi-
dent as he read his message and as he
finished the assemblage was all smiles,
the demonstration being regarded as a
tribute to his first year in Office and the
first year or oemocfauc supremacy IN the
WITHIN ten minutes after the President
had addressed Congress. Senator Chiffon,
democrat, of the canals committee, intro
duced a bill authorizing the President to
suspend tolls.
The full text of the section, to be known
as section 15, which the Chiffon bill would
add to the Panama canal act, is as fol-
lows:
THE President, notwithstanding
ANYTHING herein contained, is hereby
authorized and empowered by procla-
nation to make. suspend, alter. change
OF abolish any tolls contemplated or
nroyided for by this act. and may pre-
scribe tolls to be charged in any case
in which tolls are prohibited herein"
Referred to Committee.
AS soon as the President left Speaker
clark ordered the message referred to
the House committee on interstate and
foreign commerce.
Chairman Adamson of the committee.
who will have charge Of the repeal Iegis-
,a.,on. declared after hearing the message
that it fitted his ideas exactly.
..rhe Presidents address pleases me. /"
-, .aid "becauSe il means honesty a.