The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-07
House Committee Reports Favorably Bill to Strike
 Out Provision
OSCAR UNDERWOOD
 OPPOSES POLICY
Will Not Only Vote Against, But Will Make Speech Against Proposed Change-Adamson in
 Charge

Washington March 6.-Intial steps to repeal the toll exemption clause of the Panama canal act as requested by Pres ident Wilson. were taken in Congress today when the House committee on in- terstate commerce reported favorably a bill to strike out the provision. In the Senate the committee on interoceanic ca nais decided to meet next week to con- sider the appeal of the President for a reversal of policy in the controversy which involves the I1ay-Pauncefote treaty. and, in the opinion of the Presi- dent the general foreign relations policy of the administration
 While the House is debating the issue next week. the Senate committee will consider what course to pursue; whether to recommend a flat repeal bill or to urge the compromise bill offered by Sen ator Chiffon of West Virginia, a mem- Der of the committee. which would au- thorize the President to regulate tolls and assess charges IT his discretion. wherever exemption is provided in the canal act,
 Amendment Preferable
 T believe that more senators would vote for my amendment than will sup- port flat repeal measure" said Senator Chiffon tonight. Though the amendment would accomplish repeal of toll exemp- tion indirectly it would not repudiate the democratic platform plank indorsing toll exemption, ard senators who flatly ! vote for it."
 In the House there was quick response to the Presidents address, the commit tee voting 13 to , to favorably report the Sims repeal bill Absent members who were recorded made the vote F to 1.
 Chairman Adamson had ready a draft of the report when the committee met It based approval of the Sims bill on the same two broad grounds set forth in the Presidents message, general in- ternational eomity and the immediate foreign sitneuon oonttbntiag the coun- try. Representative Knowland of Cali fornia, who led the opposition in the committee. was given three days to file d minority report and Chairman Adam son was authorized to urge the rules committee to report a special rule to hasten the bill through the House. The matter will be pressed at once, and it is expected a rule will be brought into the House probably by Thursday of next week.
 Underwood Opposes
 Representative Adamson will take charge of the situation in the House, as Majority Leader Underwood, for the first time during the administration, finds himself on the anti-adminstration side of the question: Representative under- wood has announced his intention of not only voting against the bill, but also of making a speech against it Despite this, however. the leaders of the repeal forces declared today they were assured of a substantial majority to carry out the Presidents will In it's report to- day the committee, which provided for uniform tolls in the canal act, as oriSi- nally reported, reiterated it's position.
 ''We deem it proper now said the re- port, to consider the international situa- ton and cur obligations and policy in relation thereto. True. there has been as yet no friction nor even strained rela- tions with foreign governments, but we are advised the opposite party to the principal treaty under which the canal was constructed fails to approve our ac- tion in providing for the exemption or to concur in our construction of the treaty Other maratime nations hold the same dissenting opinion, and in the whole family of nations We stand alone in our contentious In such a situation, 1t Is not always necessary or wise to urge our contention. even though convinced of our right We are not disturbed by the taunt made for purpose, that repeal would be trucking and yield to foreign demands. A similar taunt could be lodged agairst any man or nation honorable enough to promote friendly relations by according respectful consideration to views of the opposite party"