Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-29
National Rivers and Harbors Con-
gress, Through Senator Rams
dell, President, Calls on the
Country to Voice Its Protests,
Statement Says British Demand
Is Forerunner Of Others That
Would Put the Canal at Mercy
Of Enemies Of United States.


WASHINGTON. March 2s.-T
National Rivers and Harbors con-
sress, which is waging a strong fight
against President Wilson'S Panama
Canal surrender, has issued the fbl-
lowing statement:
"A tremendous effort is now being
made to secure the repeal, at the re-
quest Of Great Britain, Of that pro-
vision Of the Panama Canal act which
exempts American vessels engaged in
coagtwise commerce from the pay
ment OF tolls. This effort is likely
To- succeed unless those who are OPP
posed to legislation in the interest OF
Great Britain and the transconti-
mental railways rather than of the
American people shall enter a prompt
and energetic protest.
" sspsacre Agaipst Repeal
III is claimed BY Great Britain that
the free tolls provision Is violation
Of the Hay -Paifncefote treaty. but the
members. Of the senate who voted to
ntify that treaty held different
view. sehatok Lodge, who was IN
London while the negotiations were
going on, and afterward was m
charge Of the treaty in the Senate;
Senators Clapp and Perkins, former
Senator Bard. the late. Senator Da-
Wis, who was chairman Of the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations, and
Theodore Roosevelt then President,
all believed that under that treaty we
had the right TO treat our own ship
ping as we pleased; otherwise the
treaty would never have been ratified.
If free tolls through the Panama
Canal is subsidy to eoastwise ship
ping, free tolls through the st. Mary's
Falls Canal is a subsidy to lake ship
ping; and, as it is very poor rule
which viii not work both ways, If free
tolls at the Panama Canal would not
decrease the cost to shippers, the
acing of tolls upon shipping using
the st. Marys Falls Canal would not
Increase the charges now made by
lake vessels.
sThe transcontinental railways have
always opposed the building of an
[sthmian canal, and are now using
every effort to make the competition
skthe canal as light as possible, and
e largely destroy the main economic
advantage which the canal was ex-
pected to produce.
Attention seems to be directed al
most entirely to the subject OF tolls
but it is worth while to see what
would necessarilv follow Il the Brit
lsh contention is upheld
What Repeal Means.
III the United States is to be in
Guided among all nations in the mat
Ter Of tolls, it must necessarily be on
the same footing as to every other
point mentioned by the treaty.
.'The warships of the United States
mnst.pay the same tolls as the war;
ships of other nations. The United
states would have no right to fortify
the canal. 1t is terrifying 1t, never
theless. The United States would be
compelled to give passage to the bat
tleships Of nation with which It
was at war. with the risk Cor, rather,
the certainty that the canal would
be destroyed.
oThe United States in time Of war
could not embark or disembark
troops, munitions Of war or supplies
within the Canal Zones, nor allow one
of its battleships to remain in the
canal, or within three miles Of eith%
end of it, for more than "a hours at
a time.
III a feet OF an enemys battle
ships were waiting outside the three
mile limit, smaller fleet, or a single
battleship Of the United States, must
20 forth to certain defeat, to be fol-
lowed possibly by the capture of the
canal and the imperiling Of our ma
tlonal safety.
The canal was built at the expense
Of the United States. This country
alone is responsible for its mainte-
nance, its operations and Its defense"
1rhe statement was signed by SEN
stor Joseph e. Ransdell, as president
of the National Rivers and Harbors
csAEress