The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-04-19
HOW CONGRESS WILL
TAKE WAR MESSAGE
Both Houses Prepared to Act
Instantly on Word From
president. !

Arrangements will be quickly made
tomorrow for a joint session Of Senate
and House and for receiving message
from the President on Mexico. in case
Huerta continues defiant.
IL it becomes necessary for the Presi.
dent TO go to Congress tomorrow with
war message" the procedure Will
be as follows:
Soon after the House meets at noon
Cong Underwood. the majority
leader, will ask for the immediate
consideration of = resolution for joint
session of the Senate and House in
the chamber of the latter. According
10 House leaders this afternoon, this
session, il it becomes necessary, will
b. assembled at $50 or o'clock and
the President will present whatever
recommendations he has to make re-
sarding further action in Mexico.
In the event of Huerta's further de-
fsnce Of the United States, II is ex-
pected the President will seek Con-
Eressional sanction of q blockade OF
Mexican ports. Should he express a
desire to institute such a blockade, "A
resolution OF authority will be offered
almost before the President gets back
u the White House
This resolution. carrying out the Presi-
dents suggestion, in al probability viii
be offered by the chairman or SONG
member of the Foreign Affairs Comnlit-
tee. 1t will be referred Immediately to
that committee, which viii be in readi-
ness to meet, and within a short time
Monday afternoon the resolution can be
reported back and acted upon by the
House. Somewhat similar proceedings
will be In order on the Senate side and,
if the emergency arises, there is no rea-
son to believe that the President can not
proceed with the full authority Of Con-
xrcss late Monday afternoon.
These proceedings, OF course, are con-
tingent upon the Developments OF the
next twenty-four hours.
1t is the general impression in Con-
Sress that unless Huerta yields before
The appointed hour, the President will
proceed to take steps to blockade Mex
drastic action Whatever the Admins
tration asks undoubtedly will be ac-
corded by Congress, and in this con-
nection it is recalled that when war
against Spain was declared 1t required
but a few moments for both Houses
to appropriate $5o,Uo0o 900 to be used in
any way President Mckinley saw At.
Majority Leader Underwood says he
has not We. received notice from the
White House regarding the possibility
Of q Joint session Monday. He asked to
be excused from commenting upon the
stood ne is in sympathy with the steps
taken by the President
Senate leaders have also been kept
busy studying presidents, with a view
20 action on a resolution authoriz-
ing resort to arms in the Mexican
crisis in case Huerta persists in defy
3ng the United States. The resolution,
which became effective April 20 1888.
authorizing use of arms in the Cuban
crisis will doubtless be followed in
part That resolution, after reciting the
abhorrent conditions in Cuba and the
destruction of the Maine. declared for
Cuban independence and demaned
SPANS withdrawal from the island.
II then provided thar the President
Of the United States be, and he thereby
Is, directed and empowered to use the
entire land and naval forces of the
United States and TO call into the actual
service of the United States the militia
OF the several States, to such extent
rs may be necessary 70 carry these res
olutions into effect"