Evening star., 1932-11-18
WATERWAYS PACT
HEARING PUT OFF
eenate Committee RecesseS
Until November 28 When
No Witnesses Appear.
nv the Associated Press.

ny the Associated Press
Further hearings on the st. Lawrence
waterways treaty were postponed to-
day until Monday, November %, by
the Senate Foreign Relations Subcom-
mittee, which has been receiving testi-
mony on the project for opening the
Great Lakes to going vessels.
The committee today recessed the
hearings when no one in opposition to
the proposal appeared to testify. Chair
man Borah announced that those sup
porting the treaty would be heard when
SRle hearings are resumed.
At the committees brief session to-
day Marcus H. Tracy presented q re-
port adopted by the New York State
Chamber of Commerce last month op-
posing the St. Lawrence project. He
did not testify.
Will Hear Friends.
Borah said the hearing of opponents
was not necessarily concluded, but that
friends of the project would be given
preference when hearings are resumed.
Serious doubts have arisen in the
minds of supporters of the st. Law
rence waterway treaty over the pros
poets for its consideration at the forth
coming session of Congress In view Of
the opposition it has drawn.
Although they still are talking hope
fully, friends of the agreement signed
by the United States and Canada last
July realize it is difficult to obtain con-
sideration for a controversial subject
In short session of Congress due to
the pressure of routine legislation
If the treaty should fail to reach a
vote at the coming session, its future
fate would depend largely upon the
attitude of Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose
term as President begins the day the
session ends.
Opposition Has Appeared.
Friends Of the project hoped to OBJ
eain some indication of Roosevelt's
Views from the testimony of Frank P.
Walsh, chairman of the New York
power authority, before the Senate Sub
committee. He was not expected to ap-
pear until hearings are resumed.
-Four days of hearings this week have
shown well developed antipathy for the
project among railroad interests. Great
Lakes shippers, and Eastern seaboard
business circles. The fate of the treaty
largely depends upon whether this op-
position Is purely local, or general
enough to be heard forcefully in the
Senate
This view was expressed by Chair
man Borah, who, in discussing the
treaty's prospects, said today:
I'VE can't take up anything in
short session If there is any real op-
position In the Senate. I don't know
how much Of this local opposition viii
be reflected in the Senate, however"
Attitude Anticipated.
Senator Vandenberg, Republican, Of
Michigan, indicated friends of the
treaty are not underestimati the op-
position. He said:
''It Is obvious there is very serious
battle involved which is bound to take
time"
Senator Walsh, Democrat, of Mon
tana, another treaty supporter, forecast
the treaty would be considered at the
short session, but would not predict
the outcome. He said many Senators
had not had q chance to consider the
subject
This opposition has always been an
ticipated," Walsh said. Nothing has
developed so far that was not to be
expected. 1t was quite reasonable to
assume that the shipping interests of
New York and Philadelphia and the
railroads centering In these cities would
be opposed to it."