The daily times., 1921-10-11
TOLL EXEMPTIONS
FOR HOME SHIPS
AGAIN DISCUSSED
EMBARRASSING SUBJECT
Great Britain Has Always OBJ
jected to Free Tolls for
American Ships Passing
Through the Panama Canal,
Such Legislation Might Not
be Wise on Eve Of Meet.
(By David Lawrence.)
Copyright, 1921, by The Daily

(Dy bdNlu Lawrence.
Copyright, 1921, by The Daily
Times.)
- Washington, Oct. 1O.-The most
embarrassing situation that has faced
the Harding Administration since it
took office came to climax today
The Senate had agreed to vote upon
the bill to exempt American coast
wise vessels from paying Panama
tested before against such legislation
on the ground that it would violate
the rights she claims under the Hay
Pauncefote treaty. The British were
expected to protest again.
Irrespective of whether the legisla-
tion does OF does not violate a treaty,
the feeling in executive quarters is
that the passage of such an act on the
might have a most unfortunate effect
on Anglo-American relations. Presi-
dent Harding is himself unable to
stop the Senate for he went on re-
Canal tolls exemption not only in his
speech of acceptance last year but in
speeches since he became President
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts
who like Elihu Root voted against
similar bill when it was up before un-
der the Wilson Administration has
decided to stick to his earlier atti-
tude. His opposition to the bill has
been on the ground that treaty rights
i. were brought into question. Senator
| Underwood of Alabama, Democratic
leader. who refused to follow Presi-
dent Wilson on the same issue when
| the tolls fight of 1914 was on, is also
maintaining the same position as he
originally did in favor of the legisla-
| ton. Thus two members of the Amer
| ican delegation to the Armament con-
| ference are voting Numerically op-
posite.
Senator Borah has led the fight for
exemption of American vessels. He
was not discouraged from pushing
the issue when he first began though
there have been several attempts by
Administration leaders recently to
dissuade him, while favoring the ul-
innate passage of the act. They have
Icontended that this was not the time
to do it, They couldn't bulge Borah.
Hence a plan is afoot to block the
measure from passing the House. 1t
can easily be lost in the shuttle there.
Meanwhile Senator Borah points to
the Republican national platform
adopted June 1920 which says:
1--WE recommend that all ships en-
Igaged in coastwise trade and all YES
sells of the American merchant ma
rine shall pass through the Panama
Canal without payment of tolls. y
Similarly President Harding in his
lspeech of acceptance openly endorsed
this plank in the platform and said:
81 like that recommittal to
thoughts of America first which
pledges the Panama Canal, an Amer
ican creation, to the free use of
American shipping. 1t will add to the
American reawakening.'
Efforts to learn whether President
Harding has abandoned that view
point or still approves of the plan
have proved fruitless. The White
House prefers to make no comment at
all on the situation. President Wilson
found practically the same pledge
in the Democratic platform of 1912
but he never endorsed that plank and
as soon as he took Office he announc-
ed his opposition to it. The fight
proved the most costly of Mr.. Will
sons first administration for while
he won it, nevertheless antagonisms
were created within the party which
never were healed. It was because
of the vigorous opposition of Irish
, American societies to the repeal OF
CONTINUED on Page 10.)