Evening star., 1934-01-11
WATERWAY TREATY
FACES HARD FIGHT
Defeat Is Seen Unless Presi-
dent Uses Full Influence
to Get Senate 0. K.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

with Canada, which has the backing OF
President Roosevelt, was ready today
to take its chances in the Senate. Sena-
tor Pittman. chairman OF the Foreign
Relations Committee, is expected TO
call up the treaty and to deliver q
speech In its support, opening the de-
Nate, which Is likely to prove lengthy.
Treaties with foreign nations during
the last IA years have had rough
sledding on many occasions In the
Senate. The present indications are
that the st. Lawrence waterway treaty
will be no exception: Indeed unless
weight of his influence back OF the
document and exertS that influence on
Senators now lukewarm or even hostile
to the treaty it may not be able to
command the two-thirds vote necessary
for ratification.
Message Brings Attack.
The President late yesterday sent to
the Senate a special message urging
the ratification Of the treaty. His rec
ommendation, while 1t undoubtedly
added strength to the treaty in the
Senate, brought instant attack upon
the project from its opponents. Even
administration leaders in the Upper
House were extremely doubtful that it
could or would be ratified.
Opposition to the treaty comes from
several sources and from several Sec
tions of the country. 1t is particularly
strong on the Atlantic Seaboard, where
the various ports fear that trafdc and
trade will be diverted from them to the
st. Lawrence and Montreal, Canada.
It Is found in some of the States OF
the Mississippi Valley, particularly in
Illinois, where it is charged that under
the treaty Lake Michigan will cease to
become an American lake and will be-
come an international body of water.
Trade that goes down the Mississippi
to the Gulf also might be diverted to
the st. Lawrence.
Has Two Objectives.
The treaty has two distinct objectives
one dealing with navigation and the
other with the production of electric
power. Some of the Senators opposing
the treaty because of the waterway
project are entirely willing to go along
with the President $50 far as the in
ternational agreement for the de-
velopment of hydro-electric power is
concerned. For example, the two New
York Senators, Wagner and Copeland.
both opponents of the treaty as it now
stands, assert that they would support
heartily a treaty that dealt only with
the power problem There are other
Senators who do not like the power
project.
The large prospective cost Of the
waterway project-plus very much
smaller cost for the electric power pro-
1ect-is to be used as an argument
against ratification, with Senators hold
ing that the benefits-if there are any
to American citizens would by no
means warrant these huge expendi-
lures.
President Roosevelt, If he intends to
bring about ratification Of this treaty
by the Senate, may have to exert all
the influence he has over Democratic
members. Even then, he may fail Op
ponents Of the treaty say that the
President was in duty bound, to send
such a message from the White House
as was received by the Senate yesterday
in view of his promises to. the farmers
Of the Northwest in the campaign of
1882, to press for favorable action on
this treaty so that they might have
lower transportation charges for wheat
and other commodities. They say fur
ther, that having strongly advocated
the ratification of the treaty, the Presi-
dent will have performed his full duty
and that now it is the province of the
Senate to deal with the pact, .....
Presidents Plan Uncertain.
These Senators, however, are not sure
what the President will or will not do.
Therefore the opposition Is taking no
chances on any early vote on the treaty
They plan lengthy debate. The very
fact that Senator Copeland of New
York, an opponent Of the measure, is
going to Florida for brief rest is in
dicative of the fact that no early vote
on the treaty is expected. He says
ne is prepared to speak for week on
the treaty if necessary.
The contention is made, on the other
hand, by some of the Republican Sen
ators that If the President does not
ton. the failure viii be forerunner of
other revolts against the Presidents
control of the present Congress.
Senator Copeland estimates that
there are so votes in the Senate
against the treaty. 1t would take 80
votes to prevent ratification. However,
despite this claim Of strength, the New
York Senator is not willing to have the
vote come Immediately. He feels, he
says, that the Senate and the country
should be fully educated regarding the
treaty pe1ore vote is taken.
Wagner Opposes Pact.
His colleague, Senator Wagner, as a
member of the Foreign Relations Coma
mittee, yesterday filed a minority re-
ratification of the waterway treaty.
The President in his message yes
terday was unequivocal in his demand
that the treaty be ratified. He laid
stress on the fact that proposed water
way could be constructed without the
cooperation Of the United States. If
Canada desired to 60 ahead with the
project alone. He predicted that this
waterway will be completed "in the
near future" urging that the project
be carried out by both nations instead
Of only one.
Senator Wagner in his minority re-
port contended that the cost to the
United States would be $573, l36, 900 in
stead of the s272, ,453,O0O estimated by
treaty proponents. The lower figures
he saio, were based on surveys made
long ago. He strongly urged that II
the purpose was to reduce railroad
freight rates, the proper was sound
legislation, not the creation of excess
sive facilities that would cause all costs
to. rise. He contended, too, that the
estimates of traffic through the St.
Lawrence were probably greatly over.
estimated
Walsh Opposes Approval
Senator David I. Walsh. who in COM
mon with all the other New England
Senators is against the treaty, said:
THE proposed waterway is costly
project and it will not furnish the pub
lie with a return commensurate with
the huge expenditure proposed. If the
waterway is completed it will divert
ocean transportation from Boston and
other Atlantic Coast ports to the st.
Lawrence River and Montreal. Fur
thermore, international difficulties grow
ing out of the traffic passing down the
river are likely to develop out Of the
operation of the waterway when 1t u
completed"
President Roosevelt accompanied his
message with Q summary of data FROM