Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-13
TO HASTEN ACTION
ON TOLLS REPEAL
Senator Owes Introduces Bill
Similar te|sims Meas
ure in the House.

-r-
To expedite actfon on repeal of the
Panama canal acs toll exemption clause,
Senator Owen OF :Oklahoma introduced
today q repeal BIZ similar in every re-
spect to the sinss bill pending in tina
House. [
Senator Owen. wlo Is a majority mem
Der Of the Senate: COMMITTEES on inter-
oceanic canals. Is: heartily in favor Of
the exem ption rerseal, He conferred with
President Wilson, last night and agreed
to do all he could to hasten considera-
ton Of the matter In the Senate.
II introduced hill similar to the Sims
BILL said Senatotc; owen. merely to get
the subject squaris:y before the commit
tee on interocesgic canals while the
House Is debating. the subject By the
time the House has disposed OF the meas.
ure- the Senate dc1nmittee probably will
have concluded III consideration Of the
bill and be ready ID report. Whether the
committee will report fAvorably or adj
versely do not ksow.
1T might report the bill without any
use for delay in {: matter Of this kind.
and do not thinf. there will be any
Senator Owens bill was referred to the
canals committee, of which Senaor
OGorman, leader, Of tho opposition to the
tolls repeal. Is Chairman.
Verbal Wsarfare Assured.
Although 1t Is cirimed on all sides that
the repeal of the assumption clause of the
Panama canal az, is an assured fact,
nevertheless a Tremendous verbal war
fare will be the a-.suit Of the debate on
this issue In Senate and House, when the
matter Is placed. before the lawmakers,
and for that reason Senator James and
Representative Atkinson and their lieu
tenants are marslialing their forces to up
hold the Presidents view Of the situa-
ton and repeal tbs clause. Senator James
has the distinction Of having presided
over the Baltinscrs convention which
adopted the platform plank concernh 3
tolls. although he did not vote on the
matter when hes was in the House OF
Representatives. He is now supporting
the President absolutely and is spreading
that gospel in this upper house
It Ia predicted taat one Of the big argu.
ments against discriminating In favor OF
American ships will be the statement that
the toll money viii simply drop into the
people, who paid 400. 900 for the Pan
anna canal. will t:ave no benefit from IL
1t also is probable that many members
Of the House AMI perhaps OF the Senate
will advance tho wholly practical and
business mans view that the United
States should charge all vessels alike for
the mere purposs of getting revenue
enough to operate the canal. As one OK
these members said recently:
Cost Of Upkeep Unknown.
NO one knows accurately what revenue
the canal will produce: no one knows
what its upkeep will cost 1t would be
better to be on tho safe side and collect
all the money possible until further no
uce."
There are other practical and dollar
mark aspects of che canals use which
have not yet entered into the pubic
discussions Of the canal tolls matter.
The public and spress have been inter-
ested in the m,,sal questions involved
in international promises, but as the
time for the vote on the matter ap-
proaches 1t is evident that the lines
will be drawn for a fight between
lines. The RAILROADS. not being allowed
to own ships which pass through the
canal. might naturally be expected to
desire as heavy tolls as possible to
be imposed upoh the ships which will
coast freight trade. However. it is
claimed in Senats and House by some
that the toll rate OF $1.2O per net reg
lister ton will bs a negligible factor in
competition ans there will be other
matters which Eill determine whether
the transcontinertal roads will have to
lower their freight rates or lose in
the coming water vs.. all-rail war.
Assured Poll Was Correct.
Consideration OK the legislation concern
Ing the repeal Is scheduled for smul-
taneous action lii both houses one week
from today. The President conferred last
night with Representative Adamson,
chairman Of the House interstate and
foreign commerce committee. and Senator
Owen, a memhe. of the interoceanic
cana.s COMMITTEES CT the Senate. and
learned that there is no doubt about the
correctness OF the poll Of the Senate and
others. The President was informed that
repeal
Chairman Henry Of the rules committee
said today that he believed the repeal
70 to 100 in the House.
Mann hod decided to offer compromise
bill designed to sus pend the exemption
clause for period of two years. when, If
1t Is found that the canal Is self-support-
ing, the President might issue an order
exempting American vessels from pay
ment Of tolls.