Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-04-10

TAKES ANOTHER VIEW
One of the Speakers Shows Foreign
Ships Could Have Gone Through
The Canal Free Under the Law.

Phila -elphia, Pa, April 10.-By a
Unanimous vote the Chahmer OF
Commerce last night reversed itseit
on the Panama Canals uestion and
adopted a resolution upholding Pres
ident Wilson's stand in defense OF
the national honor. In taking this
action the chamber heard new facts
on the Panama Canal question ana
the Presidents attitude is not only a
keeping of the nations faith, but a
good business stroke as we'll.
A year ago the chamber went on
record as favoring the exemption
from tolls of American ships en-
gagged in the coastwise trade. Last
night, however, the members chang
Ell their minds after hearing severa,
ardent appeals by men who had
given the subject deep study.
The unusual reversal was not only
due to pleas by Alba B. Johnson and
James Collins Jones for treaty OBJ
servance by the United States, but
also to statement by Walter Wood,
who has just returnei, from ENGLAND
and who brought with him the news
that an official of the British Foreign
Office, in charge Of American affairs,
had admitted that Great Britain made
mistake in asking for the canal tolls
repeal.
/, Re showe3t that England would pro-
fit more by the exemption than by the
repeal and he said that British states
men are just beginning to realize this.
An un"sual twist of the American
Skipping law makes this situation pos
sible. According to Mr.. Wood, the
repeal Of the toll act is a short and
thoughtIess way for the United States
to get out of the treaty violation
which it committed when it exempted
American coastwise vessels from toll.
Mr.. Wood declared that if American
vessels are exempted, other nations
can claim the same rights and that
if England avails herself of her rights
under the treaty, the co.rmerce of
heavy cargoes in American bottoms
between the Atlantic and the Pacific
coasts will be: wipe:' out completely
The repeal fthe tolls act, said Mr..
Wood is not the vital question. 1t Is
the question of preventing foreign ma
tions from applying under the rights
which the treaty gives them to engage
in the coastwise trade, and the loss
to American vessels Ct the commerce
between the East and the West.
Ii THE act eyempting American
ccastwise vessels is sustainea, Nh.
Wood declaed the captain of an Eng
lish or German vessel could enter any
port on the Atlantic seaboard and
after paying the difference between
the cost of construction Of the vessel
in his own country and America, could
loal a bulk cargo and demand clear
ance papers for San Francisco or any
other port On the Pacific coast. The
United States, according to MIR
Woods Interpretation of the treaty
would not dare to refuse his demand
and foreign ship would be allowed
to 90 through the canal free.
When this phase Of the question
was. taken up by Mr.. Wood with an
official OF the British Foreign Office
the latter admitted that Great Bri-
tain's note on the toll exemption act
was written in haste, at time when
the question hai' not been given care
full consideration. The official als1
admitted that British statesmen re.
GREETED the error and wished that;they
had waited, and then, after the tol.
exemption act was in force, demanded
the full rights which they were en-.
titled to. -1l'75f.s .ra
Alba 3. johnson, in his plea to the
Chamber to reverse itself, declared
that it was a question of nationa
honor.
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1ak ornnd Ia