The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-08-08
BORAH REBELS
AGAINST HARDING
INTENDS TO PUSH HIS BILL TO
REPEAL AMERICAN SHIPS
TOLL ACT, DESPITE WISHES
OF PRESIDENT WHO WOULD
APPEASE BRITISH

Washinton, Aug. 6.-Diplomatic
"pussyfooting' makes no hit with
Senator Borah. And he intends, ac-
cording to. present indications, to
press his bill, repeating the toll col
lectible on American ships passing
through the Panama canal.
President Harding has suggested
that the bill not be enacted or even
pressed until after the disarmament
conference. It is his argument that
the adoption of any law or policy
calculated to displease Great Britain
would jeopardize the success which
the conference promises, and would
tend to disturb the relations between
this country and England and Japan.
In this connection, an interesting
situation has developed. In the be-
ginning the president opposed the
enactment Of the Borah resolution
providing for the conference" be-
ween the nations of the world,
Borah ardently espoused his reso-
luton, and it was the result of his
effort, supported by the Democrats
in congress, that it became a thing
of life, At the present time, the
president is apparently walking on
eggs for fear of frustrating the
promise the resolution holds out, and
Borah is found welding a meat ak.
It is safe to conclude that Mr..
Borah does not expect much to pro-
c eed from a conference which is ami
mated by the spirit of old world di-
plomacy. For instance, he differs
with the president in the latter's
be private, that the conference must
be private, that the public and the
press must be excluded. He clamors
for the turning on of the light so
that if failure is scored, the people.
of the world will know the cause
thereof. ."t'
Again, the president holds that
very little, in this delicate situation,
should be said of the $10,000,000,000
European countries owe the United
States. Borah, on the other hand,
suggests that this enormous debt be
used by the United States practically
to force the countries of Europe to
disarm. He beholds in the debt an
excellent instrument Of pressure.
He believes that if Europe dis..rms it
will soon be in position to repay the
United States, whereas if it continues
to prepare for war, the complete re-
payment will be a matter of many,
many future years. He would say
to Europe, "Agree to disarm and we
will make terms with you regarding
the refunding of your debt"
The fate of the Borah bill to re-
peal canal tolls is, of course, not de-
termined. But it is matter of
common knowledge that if the in
dependent Republicans in the senate,
led by Borah, aggressively and de-
terminedly take stand, and if they
are supported by the Democrats, the
administration column has no chance
to stand up against them.
The bill, Of course, will take its
turn. Prohibition now, concerns the
senate. After this, measure is dis
posed of, bill regulating grain ex-
changes will demand attention. And
then Borah may strike against canal
tolls.
The Democrats as a rule, will sup
port the bill. Eight years 60, they
obeyed President Wilson and sup
ported his veto of such a bill. But
times have changed. Senator Un-
derwood of Alabama, Democratic
leader, was one of the original sup
porters of the free tolls idea in con-
gress.,