The Sentinel=record., 1914-04-10
HEARINGS BEGIN
 ON PANAMA TOLLS
SENATOR LODGE, VETERAN RE. PUBLICAN, URGES COMPLl-
 ANCE WITH REQUEST
Of President Wilson in Order Not to Interfere With the Foreign Policy of a administration.

Washington. April 9-Hearings on the Panama toll exemption repeal bill opened today before the senate canals committee, but interest in the repeal fight was focused on the senate itself when Senator Lodge, veteran republican member of the foreign relations committee, held the attention of virtually the entire membership and of crowded gal leries for more than two hours de lending the position of President Wilson in insisting on the passage of the repeal bill. The senator spoke without single interruption. He said that the right of the United States to exempt any of it's shipping from tolls was unquestioned under strict interpretation of the treaty but because of the delicate position in which the country finds itself in it's foreign relations, urged non partisan support of the president.
 At the conclusion of Senator Lodges address the galleries broke into applause and the vice presi- dents gavel pounded several min utes before order was restored and the warning given that senate rules prohibited any display of approval or disapproval from the galleries.
 Senator Lodge was given the strictest attention by his colleagues on both sides of the chamber and without respect 10 their announced views of the repeal struggle.
 "To thwart the purposes or to dis credit the policies of the head Of political party" he declared 'is legitimate political warfare. To dis credit or break down the president of the United States on a question of foreign policy is quite another thing. not to be undertaken except for the very grayest reason.
 'In one case we overthrow a party leader within that arena where the American people alone sit in 1udg ment in the other we break down and discredit the respect of the whole country in the great forum or the nations of the earth and par alvze his future power and useful ness in that field where he alone can declare and represent the policy, the honor and the dignity of the country"
 Before the canal committee Sena- tors Norris and Thomas appeared 10 discuss their propositions, the ses- sion marking the beginning of the fifteen.day discussion. decided upon early in the week It was doubtful tonight just what the program Of the hearings would be for the next few days. Representatives of the commercial organizations in Pacific coast citles and New Orleans. at whose request inc hearings were ordered, have not arrived and several senators who have submitted substitutes for the Sims repeal bill which passed the house. intimated today they had no desire to defend their proposals be- fore the committee. Consequently d delay to await the arrival or com mercial representatives appeared probable.
 Senator Norris urged upon the ! committee his suggestion that Whlle the exemption clause be repeaieo' the right of the United States to make such exemptions be asserted in the repeal measure and the presi- dent empowered to arrange for arol- tration of the dispute of this polht'
 Senator Thomas outlined his plan to throw open the canal to the free massage of all commerce. He elao- orated this later in the day in the senate. going into a detailed state ment of his view of the economic situation that would justify his pro posal.
 Debate on the repeal fight, which