Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-27
Repeal Battle
 Opens in House
STRONG OPPOSITION TO LIMIT
 OF DEBATE.
MAD RUSH DENOUNCED
No Reason for It, Declares Speaker cla-k-House Asked If 1t TremhIes When British Lion Only GrowIs.


 was begun today with the presenta- tion of a special rule in the house to limit debate and prohibit amendment on the administrations proposal to re- peal the provision of the Panama canal act allowing free passage to Ameri- can ships. For two hours the rule was alternately defended and attacked in heated debate in the house When aAs- journment came, with an hour of de- bate on the rule left for tomorrow, Speaker Champ Clark. who had not yet announced his position on the re- peal policy. issued a statement vigor- ousIy opposing the rule.
 Surely there is nothing sacred about this repeal bill and there is nc reason for this mad rush. said the speakers statement. T will not be a party to rammins such rule down the throats of members"
 "AR Ahiect Surrender to Great Bri-
 tain.T
 At four o'clock Representative Hen ry, chairman of the rules committee, presented the rule limiting debate on the Sims bill to twenty hours and pre- cluding amendment except for a single motion to recomnit. Brief argument brought about an agreement for three hours of debate on the rule, and the preliminary skirmish of the greatest legislative struggle of a decade was on.
 Representative Henry explained the rule and launched into a defense of the repeal bill. Then followed an ar gument in which the rule received lit- tie attention, as compared with the merits of the measure, and the pres idents foreign policy, the right of the American government to exercise con trol of the canal 1t has built and the economic advisability of free tolls for American ships were dragged back and forth in the discussion
 The foreign situation was the par dcular subject for most of the speak CTS. The presidents adherents who spoke all democrats, declared that under the treaty the United States had no moral right to pass it's ships Tree. His opponents, republicans and progresstves, attacked the foreign pol icy of the administration and de- nounced the proposed repeal as an 'abject surrender to Great Britain
 Compromise Amendment in View.
 Throughout the discussion Majority Leader Underwood. for the first time opposing the adninistrati ton, sat Iis- tenins attentively to the argument. Republican Leader Mann and Progress s1vez Leader Murdock both made ar guments against the rule and the bill
 The administration leaders tonight vigorously sought to keep their sup porters in line and to secure recruits. The opposition directed their efforts to securing votes to defeat a motion to close debate on the rule, which will be made after an hours debate tomor- row and which, if beaten. would allow the amendment of the rule; In this situation the opponents of the bill would attempt to open the Sims bill to amendment and might secure the adoption of a compromise amendment, repeating the tolls section, without sur rendering the contention that the hn I,o- the right to grant free tolls.
 To Correct a Blunder.
 Representative Henry declared that free tolls plank of the Baltimore plat form did not represent democratic sen timent and pointed out that when the Panama canal act was passed only 72 democrats in the house voted for free tolls, while s+ voted against the pro- vision
 T propose" he said. "to aid in the correction of a blunder that has been committed by the American congress. This free tolls provision violates treaty and contract we have with Eng land and other nations. The president of the United States has come to the house and has summoned us to his aid in this great crisis and I propose to follow him
 No Benefit to American People
 MT. Henry asserted that the Amer ican people secured no benefit from free tolls and asserted that the yes sells that would profit from the exemp- ton are owned by the "steel trust, the Standard Oil trust. the Southern rail- way the New Haven railway, the Sea board Air line"
 These are the people, he said, "who are to make a million dollars a year because of this exemption"
 Representative Campbell, of Kansas republican opened the argument for the opponents of the rule
 TrembIe at British Lions GrowI.
 The contention of the gentleman from Texas" he said, as to railroad owned ships is futile. The very terms of the Panama canal act, which it is not proposed to repeal, specifically for bid the use of the canal to railroad owned ships. The president told us a few days ago that, right or wrong we must repeal this provision and in a mysterious fashion refers to the foreign policy of the administration. He told us that if we do not grant him this request in ungrudging meas ure. he will not know what to do in other very important matters. What is the foreign policy of the admins tration? Does the president know? Nobody else does''
 Representative Campbell concluded with the question:
 "The old American eagle lined it's nest with the mane of the British lion; does the young American eagle tremble with fear when the British lion only growls "
 Progressive Opposition.
 Progressive Leader Murdock opposed the rule saying:
 q am not willing to surrender by my vote, in any spirit of easy accommoda- dation to Great Britain, this nations sovereignty over the canal. I do not know the relations which make Great Britain and Japan friends, or Japan and Huerta allies, or how near the truth the rumor is that we need the aid of Great Britain as Japan's friend to tighten our responsibility in Mexico. But the known facts, the visible facts, the arguable facts, are plain and ele- mentary 80 far as our rights In the ca nal are concerned, Before the sur render considerations of political and diplomatic exigeney may becloud the issue. After the surrender will come clarity and national chaerin, and na- tiona1 humiliation"
 Defense by President.
 The presidents position was viger- eusly defended by Representative Shirley of Kentucky.
 We come here with this repeal bill'' he said with no apology for