The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-18
KAHN OPENS ANT|- TOLLS REPEAL F|GHK
 IN BITTER ATTACK
Administrations Stand Hu- initiating, Declares Cali
 fOrnia Congressman in Speech

Washington, March 1.-Two repub- licans, Representatives Kahn of Cali fornia and Moore of Pennsylvania, took the floor in the House today to oppose the proposed repeal of the tolls exemp- ton clause of the Panama canal act all though general debate on this question Is not expected to begin until Saturday. Both attacked the administrations for eign policy generally. and held that ex- emption of American coastwise shipping from canal tolls was not in violation of the Hay -Pauncefote treaty.
 Discussion of the tolls controversy will
 be precipitated In the Senate. too, in advance of formal consideration of a l repeal measure. Senator Jones of Wash- ington today announced his intention to call up tomorrow his resolution asking President Wilson for information as to the attitude of the foreign governments toward toll exemption.
 He will urge that before the Senate undertakes to pass on the Presidents plea for repeal of the exemption clause 1 it should have all information available as to the interests of foreign nations Tn l the matter. The resolution would require 1 the President If not incompatible with I the public interests, to advise the Senate what nations have protested against the 1 passage of the coast vessels through the
 Panama free of tolls, what representa- 1 tions have been made regarding the same,
 and copies of all communications Ie- ceiyed from foreign countries relating l thereto. together with copies of answers submitted by the United States.
 Situation Understood Some senators oppose the resolution on the ground that the situation with
 relation to the canal act and the Hay ! Pauncefote treaty already is well under
 stood. Should the Jones resolution be adopted Senator Poindexter plans to call | up a resolution he has introduced calling | on the President to inform the Senate 1'''what other matters of even greater l delicacy and dearer consequence were 1 referred to in the Presidents message of March 5, 1914, and what connection
 such matters have with the proposed re- peal of the toll exemption provision of 1 the Payama canal act"
 l Senator O'Gorman, chairman of the
 interoceanic canals committed and leader
 of the majority party in the fight against | the repeal, will return to Washington .o- norrow Senator owen. who will lead the fight for repeal in the canals con- ] nlittee, plans to confer with MT. O'Gor- man to get immediate consideration of the 1 bill by the canals committee.
 i Representative Adamson, chairman of the House interstate commerce commit tee. said today the Sims repeal bill would | be called up in the House Saturday. l In his speech in the House. Representa- 1 tive Moore took the position that .he l government, in its treaties with Great Britain governing the building of the
 canal, did not give up the exclusive right l ,1oto fke.< aud Ia
 clared that the Presidents position called
 on Congress to vote the American people
 out of their right to regulate and manage
 their internal affairs.
 | Washington, March 17.-By bitter at-
 tack on the administrations foreign poll 1 icy, the fruit of which, he said, had been misunderstanding, distrust, vacillation
 and humiliation. Representative Kahn of l California today warned the House
 against the pending Sims bill to repeal the tolls exemption provision of the Panama canal act
 He cited several instances which he de- 1 clared conclusively proved that England
 would not yield if she were in position
 similar to that of the United States, and l said ''her history is replete with instances | in which she has firmly and vigorously re- fused to yield her inalienable rights"
 This greatest of all the worlds repub- llcS mas grown tO De m one DrleI year or democratic administration the Pariah of the Nations" MT. Kahn declared. Under the blight of its foreign policy today we | stand isolated. It Is a humiliating con- | fession, but it's truth cannot be gain
 said.
 l Should Forego Rights
 We are calmly told not to consider whether we are right or wrong in our
 interpretation of the Hay-Pauncefote l treaty. As matter of expediency, and in order to save the face of the administra- tion we ought to forego our rights. so says the President, no matter what great Ieconomic or governmental principles may be involved principles that may vitally affect the prosperity and the welfare of 1.-the American people,
 The speaker expressed his belief I''that no people on earth that have a ldue regard for the opinion of man
 kind would be willing to cell their
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