The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-03-06
I'M BRIEF
MESSAGE
REQU UESTS 1T IN BEHALF OF
THE FOREIGN POLICY
OF ADMINISTRATION.
Action Would Aid In More Deli
cate Questions-"Is Of Grave
and Far-Reaching Interest
To Country

WASHINGTON. March 5-presi-
dent Wilson Went to congress today
and pleaded for repeal OF the provision
or The Panama canal act which ex-
I smpts american CoastwtsN shipping
from tolls. lie tersely asserted that
his reason for asking the repeal WAS
eNerNwhcre except In the United
States the tolls exemption was regard
ed a. q violation OF the Hay-Paunce-
tote treaty. and he further asked II In
support OF the administrations gene
raj foreign policy
That the PRESIDENT request will be
granted there seemed tonight TO b.
little doubt. despite the fact that there
VIII be vigorous opposition to the re-
peal both In the senate and the house.
initiative action In the matter will be-
taken tomorrow when the house inter.
state ana foreign commerce commits
sion VIII meet 10 consider the mes
sage. n was stated tonight that this
d, committee would report bill 10 HAT
4 ~ repeal the exemption provision In
| the senate today senator Chiffon. a
/ Democrat member OF the inter-oceanic
c q n a : committee. introduced an
amendment to the canal act. which
would give the president authority TO
make or suspend tolls by proclamation
and 10 prescribe tolls IN cases exempt.
ed This would put IL np directly 10
the president TO eliminate the ex.
! emptiOn.
Widespread Comment.
ASIDE from the bearing OF today's
. message on the Panama canal tolls
question. some OF tho phrases used bv
the president attracted widepread
comment In congressional quarters as
relating 10 foreign relations in general
In some quarters there was a disupo-
sition TO regard some of his state
ments In the nature OF a warning ON
the difficulties involved I'm other mat
ters OF even greater delicacy and near
er consequence"
Later in the day the president him
sell. in talking with callers, explained
that these phrases had no signifi.
canoe beyond their bearing on the
need OF rigorous good faith in the
! Panama tolls question as an evi-
dence- of unWavering good faith on
ail other questions. and that nothing
critical was pending in foreign rela-
tions. But the language of the mes-
sage continued to be commented upor,
as having an application considerably
broader than the Panama question.
Three Points.
| lhree points in particular were
noted: First. the presidents state
lnent That no communication he had
49, SSee auuresseu 10 congress carried
/ "GTaNer or more far-reaching impli-
cations to the interest OF the coun.
/ try; second. that everywhere out
| side the United States the language
I OF the Hay-PauncefOte treaty was
given but one Interpretation: and
| third. the concluding statement as To-
| other matters OF even greater deli.
| cacy and nearer consequence"
| The president further told his call
/ ers that while he had never received
! any formal communications on the
I subject. he had understood that Eu-
I ropean nations generally took the
q same view as Great Britain. that the
D lar 1 "a FrFH Nf.NU
i ~ the Panama canal act. lie pointed
/ out that in dealing with foreign al
/ fairs. nations which believed the
\ United States did not keep a prom
! lse on so important a treaty as the
| Hay.Pauncefote convention would not
! Le likely 10 expect sincerity on other
! delicate questions
European impression.
word had come to the president OF
/ n general impression I'm Europe that
/ the United States was sailing as
I close 20 the winds as possible" in in.
I terpreting promises made in its trea-
] tics. No pressure mad been brought
70 bear by the nation to emphasize
! thFir view in this connection. but the
| president felt confident ttat foreign
/ governments had this feeling on the
I subject In this connection Mr.. Will
Z son revealed the fact that since his
I ialk a year ago with former Ambas-
sador Bryce. in which he gave assur-
tnces that the tolls question would
l ne taken up al the regular session of
/ congress. no communication. formal or
otherwise had passed between Great
britain and the United States.
ne president said no particular
i thing had caused him 10 read tho
m"ssnGe except doubt that had ex-
7 lstcd in some quarters In congress as
I 10 now strongly convinced h. was a.
/ 20 the necessity OF repeal lie had
I i"lt that DO wanted members OF CON
/ sfcss 10 realize that he very earnest
I " sought Them 10 reverse their ac-
/ lion Of year aCO.
senator Shitely acting chairman OF
tcontinusd ON Psze rine)