Evening star., 1934-12-23
WATERWAY PACT
RATIFICATION SEEN
Early Approval in Senate
Likely, With President
Anxious for Project.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

The Roosevelt administration, elec-
trically- minded, Is intent on harness.
ing the greater water powers of the
st. Lawrence River for the benefit of
the people of New York and other
States to which transmission may be
made The President, it is confidently
predicted. will seek to bring about
early ratification of the st. Lawrence
waterway treaty with Canada at the
coming session of the Senate.
The supporters of the treaty believe
that this time they will be able to
obtain the necessary two-thirds vote
In the Senate for ratification.
The treaty which was defeated last
March is being whipped into shape
with certain reservations attached
for transmission to the Senate. The
representatives of the United States
and Canada have been at work on the
terms Of the reservations.
Two Schools of Thought.
There are two schools of thought
on the proper time to send the St.
Lawrence treaty to the Senate for
consideration and action.
One holds that the President should,
and will, send the treaty to the Upper
House again almost Immediately after
the session begins January 8. The
other contends that there is more
chance for trouble over the treaty in
Canada this year than in the Senate,
and that it would be better to wait
until after the Canadian elections
have been held.
The latter group points out that the
present Dominion government might
easily be embarrassed by the imposi-
ton of reservations providing for a
much greater part of the work with
American labor than was contemplate
ed in the original treaty, and provid-
ing also that the United States re-
tain complete sovereignty over Lake
Superior.
The opponents of the treaty are
basing their hopes on the trend Of
sentiment which they say exists in
Canada. Ontario is reported to be
up in arms over the amount it must
pay the Dominion government for the
power development which it will have
from carrying out the terms of the
treaty. Quebec also is reported to
have hammers out for the treaty.
Chances Declared Excellent.
In Washington, however, the
chances for ratification of the treaty
by the Senate are declared in some
quarters to be excellent. In the first
shake-up in the membership Of the
upper house, as a result OF the recent
elections. Eight of the Senators who
voted no when the treaty was re-
jected by the Senate on March IA last,
will not be In the coming Congress-
Seven of them are Republicans and
one, a Democrat. These seven Re-
publican Senators will all be sue
ceeded by Democrats, while the Demo-
crat, Senator Stephens of fsMississippi.
will step out while Senator elect Bilbo
steps in.
It is believed that good many, II
support the treaty. The Republican
Senators who opposed the pact and
who are on the way out are Colds
boro, Maryland Hatfield, West Vir-
ginia; Herbert, Rhode Island; Kean.
New Jersey; Patterson, Missouri;
Reed, Pennsylvania, and Walcott,
Connecticut.
Five Senators who supported the
treaty will be "out" of the Senate
But there Is no reason to believe that
their successors will do other than
favor the treaty. Fess Of Ohio and
Robinson Of Indiana, who voted for
the treaty are among them. Both will
give way to Democratic Senators who
may be expected to go along with the
President in support of the treaty.
G. o. p. Members Favor Plan.
In addition, there are Republican
Senators who voted against the treaty
in March who are now talking of sup
porting it. especially If there are
reservations. Among these Senators
who are reported to have changed
their position are Senators Dickinson
of Iowa and McNary of Oregon, the
latter, minority leader of the Senate.
The vote stood As to AZ for ratifi-
cation in March, less than the two
thirds necessary to approve and give
effect to the treaty. Eight Senators
failed to vote, some of them are
known to be favorable to ratifica-
ton. So far as New England is con-
cerned, the adherents of the treaty
believe that recent shifts in the
Senate from that section will be ia
Vorable to the treaty.
The opponents of the treaty must
have a minimum of 33 votes ready to
cast against the treaty at any time
it comes up for action.
Administration leaders are confident
that the President will be able to get
the treaty ratified if he puts I'D a
strong fight for it at the coming ses-
sion, and they believe that he has
every intention of doing so.
Walsh Confers Here.
Frank p. Walsh, chairman of the
Power Authority of New York, has been
In Washington working with the State
Department to bring about an ad-
justment of the treaty provisions
which would be acceptable to the
Senate and also to the Canadians.
He was particularly designated by the
President to undertake this task, I'M
conjunction with the department.
New York State has a tremendous
interest in the development of the
waterway, especially as it affects the
power problem. Walsh was appointed
chairman Of the Power Authority in
1881, by the then Gov. Roosevelt of
New York. and has made an extensive
study of the cost of distributing elec-
tricity in New York State, as basis
for marketing St. Lawrence power
when it becomes available
In his report OF this study, made
TO the President, the Governor of
New York and the chairman of the
Federal Power Commission, Mr.. Walsh
holds that the people of the States
within transmission distance of the
st. Lawrence, might have their elec-
trio bills cut $181, TAG .887 a year, If the
proper costs for distribution should be
made effective instead of present costs.
1t is the contention Of the President
and Mr. Walsh that the development