The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-06
May Not Be Sustained


Not so certain, however, are some of
the democratic leaders In the Senate
that the President will be sustained in
his resolve on this question. which
agitated American relations with Great
Britain for several years and has been
a subject of internal controversy since
the passage of the Panama canal ac.
IN August, 1912. Senator O'Gorman
chairman of the interoceanic canals
committee. which had charge of the
bill, and who led the victorious fight in
the Senate to exempt American coast
wise vessels from tolls, tonight de-
clared his parpose to stand by his con-
victions and fight the Presidents de-
Other senators polntedfts the reces {
action of the foreign relations COM
mittee in recommending the British
general arbitration treaty for cxten-
sion as an Indication that the Senate
is ready to rescind its action on the
tolls questions. fear of having to sub
init 1t to arbitration having delayed its
extension by the Senate last summer
Senator Stone, who voted for the pro-
vision, has said he would vote for the
repeal, taking the position that under
the treaty the United States stin has
the right to levy any tolls 1t wishes
the exemption should be stricken out
in Difference to international good feel
ing and in line with desire to avoid
any i'll feeling with Great Britain.
Wants Immediate Action
The Presidents announcement grew
out of report that he did not seek
action at the present Congress- Sena-
tor O'Gorman on leaving the White
House yesterday said he had discussed
ia nj lie
President and expressed the view that
Congress could do little else at the
present session besides passing the
trust bills and appropriation measures
The President sought to make clear
today that this was Senator O'Gorman 5
own impression of the legislative ses-
sion, but that SO far as he was con-
cerned he earnestly hoped for action at
the present session.
There has been considerable talk in
this connection of the resolution intro
duced by Representative Adamson
which would suspend for two years the
operation of the exemption so that IL
might be definitely determined whether
or not the canal could be elf-support-
ing, and at the same time allow time
for further diplomatic parley The Pres
ident, however, has abandoned any idea
of having the question suspended or
postponed or wishes settlement of it
from the present Congress so that the
great waterway may be opened at the
beginning OF next year with the ma
tions of the world on a basis of equal
fty, and with friendship unimpaired by
any pending issues of diplomacy
The Illness of Chairman Bacon of the
Senate foreign relations committee. which
is holding up consideration of the arbi-
tration treaties, including one with Great
Britain. also may delay action in Con-
gress on the tolls question. The President
already has communicated his views on
the subject of tolls to the committee
No New Developments
There have been no developments on
the diplomatic side of the controversy
since the last note of Sir Edward Grey
was received in the closing days OF the
Taft administration. Great Britain since
then has not pressed for any reply, which
circumstances generally has been taken
to mean that intimations of President
Wilson's friendly attitude toward the
British contention had been conveyed to
the London government.
President Wilson's final decision fol-
lowed more than year of careful study
of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty and the
debates in Congress for and against the
exemption. He always has been opposed
to ship subsidies and intimations of his
attitude began to come out while he was