The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-10
Course Necessary for Inter-
ests of Party Harmony,
Say Leaders
WILL GET TOGETHER
ON THE SITUATION
Presidents Attitude One of Co-Opera-
ton and Not Antagonism-Sena
tor Stone Gives Views
in Letter

Washington February s-Repeai of
the provision of the Panama canal act
exemptng American coastwise ships
from tolls. favored by President Wilson.
Is TO be made a subject of consideration
and action by democratic caucus OF
the Senate. That this would be wise
and necessary course in the interest of
party harmony and the nations foreign
iolicy is the conclusion of administca-
tion senators who have discussed the
subject with the President within the last
few DAYS.
How soon the CAUCUS Will be called
has not been determined but several sef-
ators today frankly asserted that ,he
democrats would get together with the
situation as presented by the President
and settle for themselves the whole con
troversy.
The fact that the democratic party in
dersed the toll exemption policy at
the Baltimore convention, these senators
and President Wilson hold should not be
a subject of open controversy at this
time, because conditions involved In the
| tolls question have changed since that
time. The point to be settled is whether
| the policy of tolls adopted by the ma
| tion through the action of Congress
| should be reversed regardless of the
declaration OF the Baltimore PLATFORM
Situation Outlined
President Wilson has made it clear to
| Senate and House leaders that he is not
attempting 10 force Congress TO reverse
! itself lie has outlined 10 them the
country's situation with respect TO for
| eign relations and his belief that a re-
/ f..IN.
tion would pc the best thing He is
seeking to convince Congress that this
is So but part9 leaders who have talked
with him declare that he Is not at
tempting II in apy spirit of antagonism,
but in a spirit If cooperation for the
general welfare
one senator saio today that there is
a general understanding in Congress that
the shaping of tae countrys foreign
policy should he directed by the Pres
ident, ana the Congress must give car 10
| him whenever legiSlation affects thai
policy. For this reason, the 4eehfaS ds
! that the tolls question should be dis
cussed in party CAUCUS. -. H'
| As a forerunner of fhE step Senator
Stone of Missouri. who is confined TO
| his home by Illness, addressed soEle peg-
nant comments on the controversy in
letter TO Senator Kern. as chairman oil
| the Senate democratic caucus.
Referring to the discussion of the
question with reference to the toll plank
of the platform as ''joker.' Senator
Stone called such suggestion utterly
puerIle," though admitting that only
small percentage of the members of the
convention had more than an Imperfect
knowledge of the subject
Not Occasion for "Rukus'
1T does not Sc INTO me- the Missouri
senator continued. that there Is the
last occasion for starting 'rukus
about this platform declaration
'rhe declaration is in the platform as
the deliberate act of the national con-
ention. That proposition might as well
be taken as settled and therefore II Is
not "A Joker The trouble Is that the
time has come when many good men and
good democrats think that the policy out
lined in the platform was mistake ana
thai the nation cannot In honor or good
faith adhere TO it. Manifestly the honor
and good faith OF the American people
are of greater consequence than mere
dogged adherence TO a declaration OF
party platform on a question or purely
public policy If those who drafted the
platform or those who adopted II should
be convinced that the nation cannot non
orabIy and In good faith carry out the
policy proclaimed in the platform, then
those so believing could not well do oth-
erwise than to give n frank declaration
of their purpose to follow contrary
course.