Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-26
ALL READY FOR
BITTER BATTLE
OVER TOLLS
Presidents Efforts to Repeal Ex-
emption To Be Contested
to End.

WASHINGTON, March 26.-With
opposing factions conteSting every
inch of ground, the House to-day be-
gan the battle over President Will
sons proposal TO repeal the free tolls
clause Of the Panama Canal act. A
bitter and prolonged debate, extent
ing probably over three days, is ex-
pected by those familiar with the
feeling among House members, and
the final vote is not expected before
late Saturday
The House met an hour earlier
than usual to rush to final passage
the rivers and harbors bill, so that
the tolls controversy could be taken
Up at noon.
A special order making the repeal
measure in order was adopted by the
committee, and a preliminary Skin
mish was fought over 1t. 1t gives
privileged status to the repeal bill
introduced by Mr.. Sims, Of Tennessee,
and provides that vote on the ques-
ton shall be had after fifteen hours
of debate.
No opportunity to amend the re-
peal bill IS given.
Test Vote EARLY.
The preliminary skirmish and votes
on the rule was expected to give a
fairly accurate test of the strength OF
those defending the Administration
position Members of the Rules Com
mittee indicated that, while unwilling
to extend tho fifteen-hour limit Of
debate on the repeal proposal, they
were willing to grant more than the
customary forty minutes on the adop-
ton of the rule.
Partisans in the House who here
tofore have opposed one another on
practically every question to-day
were found fighting under the same
banner. There was no dividing line
between the parties as on the tariff
or other administration policies
The best debaters In the House
will take part In the long verbal bat
tie. The opposition against the bill
includes Majority Leader Underwood,
Minority Leader Mann, Progressive
Leader Murdoch and Prospective
Leader Kitchin; Fitzgerald, of New
York: Doremus, of Michigan, chair
man OF the Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee; O'Shaughnes-
sy, OF Rhode Island Moore, of Penn
sylvania and all the Pacific Coast
representatives, except Mr.. Kent Of
California.
Adamson for Repeal.
Chairman Adamson, of the Inter-
state Commerce Committee, and
Representative Sims, of Tennessee,
ranking Democrat will lead the fight
for repeal They will be assisted by
Stevens, OF Minnesota, ranking Re
publican on the committee. Repub-
licans who are for repeal include
Gardner Of Massachusetts,; Steiner
son, Volstead and Lindbergh, OF Min
nesota; Hamilton, of Michigan, Esch,
of Wisconsin, and Kent, of Califor-
MIA Democratic friends of the re"
peal bill include Palmer, of Pennsyl-
vania: Sherley, of Kentucky; Cow
ington, OF Maryland; Henry, of Tex
as: Helm, of Alabama; Barley. OF
Kentucky, and Montague, of Viz
ginia.
Early slklrmishes in the debate indl-
cate that the Administration will have
to meet the charge that the United
States has adopted "a trucking atti-
tude," and, without helping diplomat
ic negotiations, has yielded to Eng
lands demand that this country sur
render certain rights on its own ca
nal"
Call II Ship Subsidy.
The friends of President Wilson
argue that not only are free tolls a
violation of the Hay Pauneefote
treaty, but the practice is ship sub
sidy, which always has been opposed
by Democracy. They quote the Pres
ident as saying the foreign policy OF
the Administration demands that this
country shall keep the word expressed
in its treaty, and that the United
States win become an international
outlaw" by breach Of faith.