Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-05
I'VE Should Preserve Our
ReputatiOnfO Redeem
ing Obligations Without
Hesitation" He Says.
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS TO
CONGRESS is HIS BRIEFEST
Declares Exempting American
Ships Is Mistaken Economic
Policy and in C0ntrayention to
Hay-PauncefOte Treaty.

WASHINGTON, March 5.-Presi-
dent Wilson personally appealed to
Congress, assembled in joint session
today, to sustain the national honor
of the United States in upholding
treaty obligations by repeating the
Panama tolls exemption against
which Great Britain protests. He
asked Congress to do that "in support
of the foreign policy of the adminis-
ton for American ships not only
was "a mistaken economic policy"
but was in contravention of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty.
"I shall not know how to deal with
other matters of even greater deli
cacy and nearer consequence If you
do not grant it to me in ungrudging
measure" said the President.
"The large thing to do is the only
thing we can afford to do; volun-
tary withdrawal from position
everywhere questioned and misunder-
stood. We ought to reverse our
action without raising the question
whether We were right or wrong, and
SO once more deserve our reputation
for generosity and the redemption of
every obligation without bubble or
hesitation"
President wilson's Address.
President Wilson's address, the
shortest he has yet delivered to
Congress-exactly 42o words-was as
follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress;
Il have come to you upon an errahd
which can be very briefly performed,
but | beg YOU will not measure It's
Importance by the number OF SEN
tences in which l state it. No COM
municntion I have addressed to the
Congress carried with it graVer or
more far-reaching implicat ons TO the
interest of the country, and come
now to speak upon a matter WIN re-
gard TO which ! am charged IN
,1ecnliar degree, by the constitution
itself. with personal responsibility.
"I have come to ask for the repeal
IF that provision of the Panaina
canal act of August "a, l9lz. Whlcn
exempts vessels engaged IN the {. ase-
wise trade of the United states ron
nayIaer,t of tolls, and to urge upon
Won the Justice. the wisdom and the
large policy of such repeal WIN
The utmost earnestness of which l
am capable.
"Nls,aIxen Economic Policy"
In my own judgment, very tully
considered and maturely formed, tllaC
.tSemption constitutes mistaken
economic policy from every point OF
view. and is, moreover, in plain con-
travention of the treaty with Great
Britain concerning the canal con-
.n1uded on November 1S, 1871. But l
have not come to you to urge my
personal views. BOO.
IT have come to state to you fact
md a situation. Whatever may oe
nnr own differences of opinion con-
serning this much debated measure,
its meaning is not debated outside the
I-nited States. Everywhere else the
language of the treaty is given put
one interpretation and that interpre-
tation precludes the exemption am
osiring YOU to repeal. We consented
m the treaty. it's language we ac,
cepted if we did not originate IL anu am
we are too big, too powerful. too sell
respecting a nation to interpret WIN
too strained or refined reading OF
words of our own promises just be-
tCoatinued on Page 4, Column A.