The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-02
Sims Bill Is Promptly Re- ferred to InterOceanic
 Canals Committee
IMMEDIATE ACTION
 TO BE INSISTED ON
Many Complications Are Possible In Situation-O'Gorman Will Call Committee Together Next
 Tuesday

Washington, April 1.--The adminis- tration bill to repeal toll exemption for American ships in the Panama terday nmid spectacular scenes, reached the Senate today and was referred promptly to the committee on inter- oceanic canals without debate.
 Senator O'Gorman, chairman of the canals committee. who is marshalling the anti-administration force, announced definitely tonight that he would call a meeting of the committee for next Tues day. Until that time no formal consid- eration of the repeal measure or proposed amendments can develop. Although friends of the President had hoped to have the canals committee meet earlier, they decided to make no effort to induce Senator O'Gorman to change his plans. They will insist. however. upon action within reasonable time after the commit tee gets down to work.
 Owen Confers With President
 d member of th committee. who will lead the fight in committee for the adminis- tration. visited the White House early in the day and conferred with the President. .later he made the emphatic declaration that friends of the repeal bill would not submit to unnecessary delay in prelimi- nary consideration of the bill, and fiatly declared that the gauntlet of committee discharge would be hurled should an at tempt be made to impede the progress of the measure.
 That some members of the committee who oppose exemption repeal desire to have public hearings on the bill was ap- parent late today, but administration sen ators insisted that such hearings were entirely unnecessary, and that there could be no other reason for them except de- liberately to cause delay.
 Public hearings on this issue are un- , necessary" said Senator owen tonight, and would unnecessarily prolong this controversy, which is a clean cut issue and thoroughly understood by every sen- ator. We are entitled to get away from Congress early this time, and intend to do it if possible.
 Senator O'Gorman has said repeatedly
 
 the committee in considering the bill, but it is expected that requests would be made of him to grant hearings.
 Committees Stand Uncertain
 On this the committee may be forced to act and 1t would be considered as test on the real issue. Just how the commit tee stands is uncertain, both sides claim ing a majority of one. An unfavorable report on the bill would be followed by a minority report, and this would bring the controversy before the Senate on d motion to adopt the minority report.
 Many complications are possible in the situation even before the commit tee because there are half dozen bills pertaining to the tolls question now before the committed. That there will be persistent effort made to amend the repeal bill as it passed the House is certain, but friends of the President declare that nothing but flat repeal of the toll exemption will be ac- cepted. In support of this they claim a safe majority Many polls of the Sen ate have been taken, democrats and republicans included, but they have been incomplete. Estimates of the ma jority in favor of the repeal vary from to 24.
 Today senator Norris of Nebraska i'm troduced resolution that would pro vide for arbitration of the treaty dis pute in the tolls controversy and Sen ator Poindexter submitted another to provide for postponement of consid- eration of the tolls issue until Pres | ident Wilson submits details. in confi- dence, if he chooses. as to foreign re- lations to be affected by toll exemp- tion repeal No action was taken on either resolution
 How About Republicans?
 x,-fII ure in the result is the subject of very active speculation. Estimates of the numbers of democrats who will oppose the repeal vary from to 14.
 The repeal is not yet won by any odds" Senator Chamberlain. leading the opponents, said. When the canals committee will complete its work can not be forecasted now but the gen. eral opinion is that the issue will moi come formally before the Senate foi l. st least 10 days.
 Senator Norris. republican, intro duced an amendment to reaffirm tht right of the United States to grant ar exemption if 1t desired to do so, and to direct the President to begin ne eotiations to arbitrate Great Britain's protest.
 resolution to postpone considera- ton of the bill until President Wilson communicates to the Senate, in confi- dence. if it so asks, the nature of ths matters of greater delicacy and near CT consequence' mentioned in his ad- ~-~--~->~>~>--~>~---~-~>-
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