Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-27
WILSON IS FIRM
AGAINST CANAL
TOLL EXEMP TON
Senators Who Talked With Him
Flatly Assert He OPP
poses Clause.
PRESIDENT WILL MAKE
ATTITUDE KNOWN SOON
Not Against Aiding American
Vessels, but Believes Treaty
Violated.

WASHINGTON Jan 27-That
President Wilson is opposed to the
exemption of American coastwise
ships from Panama Canal tolls was
fatty asserted at the Capitol today
by those who know what took place
1T the conference last night between
the President and Senate foreign re-
Iations committee.
Senators who talked with the Presi-
dent said today that Mr. Wilson fully
explained his position on the tolls
question:; that his views incline
tpward the contentious of Great
Britain and that he would make pub
lie his attitude in the near future.
Several senators expressed surprise
that in view of the Presidents posi-
tive attitude he had not urged some
Hct1en at the extra session OF Con-
xfess.s
Believes Treaty Violated.
What the President may recon-
mend was not disclosed in today s
reports of the White House confer
#ence, but 1t was pointed out that twe
ways might meet the views of the
president. One would be to repeal
4he exemption provision of the act
<The other would be the passage OF
Z iii0 AudItlSOn ItSOiQllOu " SuSpcnt
for two years the operation of this
exemption clause and thus demon
strate whether the canal could be
Belf-sustaining without tolls from
American ships.
It was said today that the Presi-
. dent was not opposed to toll exemp.
tions as such, but that he was
! strongly of the opinion that they
8 would be a discrimination which
s. Il n,
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty.
The dispute between the United
States and Great Britain turns on the
construction of article of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty, which provides;
1.-THE canal shall be free and open
TO the vessels of commerce and OF
war of all nations observing these
rules, on terms of entire equality, SO
that there shall be no discrimination
against any such nation or its citizens
1 subjects, in respect of the condi-
= bns or charges of traffic or other
wise. Such conditions and charges OF
traffic should be just and equitable.
Discuss Lifting Arms Embargo.
The British contention has been
that this clause of "entire equality
was to be taken literally. But the
Panama canal act while providing
equality of tolls on ocean going trat-
fic, exempted American coastwise yes.
sells from the payment. Sir Edward
Grey, British minister of foreign af-
fairs, protested against the exemp-
ton as contrary to the language OF
the treaty. Mr.. Knox, while secre-
tary of state under the Taft admins
tration, replied to Sir Edward Grey.
But the attitude of the present ad-
ministration has not been generally
known up to the time of the Presi-
dents conference with senators last
~,aight. when, according to the view
1hey obtained, Mr. Wilson supports
the view of equality of treatment un-
der the treaty.
Lifting the embargo on arms for
Mexico also was discussed at last
nights conference.
Some senators favored it, on the
ground that it would hasten hostiltties
to a conclusion. One senator said t.
day he believed the President was IN
\ clining more and more to that view
l and might lift the embargo soon.
It was the general opinion OF seha-
tors after their talk with the Presi-
dent on the Japanese situation fhat
officials in Japan were friendly to tine
United States, but were being pressed
by radicals.