The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-04

Washington, March 3.-Presi-
dent wilson caused an unexpeCt-
ed stir in Congress late this at
ternoCn when hc asked for lcgts-
latIon to enable the government
to enforce more strictly Its du-
ties AS neutral. The Legislation
Is designed primarily to give the
President power to deal with the
situation that ha sariscn through
German war vessels OF the
American coast having been pro-
visioned aud supplied from Amer
lean ports by merchant vessels.
While the immediate purpose .0l
the resolution was clear. its phrase
ology was OF such a general charuc-
ter that some members of Congress
expressed the cnnyictt0A
that the proposed legislation went Tar
beyond its Evowed purpose. Som
me bers insisted tina. the resolution
in the form In which II came from
the State Department would permit
the President, in his discretion, to lay
an embargo upon the expectation Of
foodstuffs and other war supplies;
that 1t would, in tact, give the right
to declare war for the enforcement
Of American neutrality.
The resolution was hurriedly rush.
ed through the House, Representa-
tive Underwood acknowledging that
he introduced IL upon the urgent re-
quest of the State Department, and
that he was not familiar enough with
the purposes of the legislation to give
the House details.
Senate Dtsagrees.
When the resolution reached the
Senate a difference of opinion arose in
the Committee on Foreign Relations
over the scope of the power conferred
upon the President. The result was
that Senators Stone, Salisbury, Swan
son. Root and Lodge were summoned
to the White House for conferences
with the President as to the purposes
of the resolution. They were closcted
with the President until 1880 o'clock
When they left it was An
uounced that material changes had
been agreed upon In the phraseology
of the resolution by way of clarifying
It's intent.
Robert Lansing. counsellor Of the
State Department. who attended the
White House conference, insisted that
the sole purpose of the resolution was
what was apparent on its face. This
statement was issued by Mr.. Lansing
after the White House conference:
Purpose of Resolution.
Under the present conditions, In
case the neutrality of the United
States is being, or Is likely to be.
violated by the use of any OF Its
ports as a base of operations through
the furnishing of fuel, arms and am
munition to warships OF a belligerent
nation, the only remedy which the
United States has rs the preventive
stitutional authority to enforce the
laws. and especially to preserve the
neutrality OF the United States. Tho
object Ct this joint resolution Is to
make the act which constitutes viola
ton OF neutral obligations OF this
country a penal offense, and also to
make orc definite by legislative en-
actment the right Of the President
to withhold clearance in case 1t shall
appear that such neutral obligation
Is about to be violated.
THE object IF the CO ference at
the White House Of the President
with the Foreign Relations Commits
tee and Mr.. Lansing. was to consider
this resolution and to make clear its
language"
At midnight members of the Sen.
ate Foreign Relations Committee had
returned to the Senate and were pre-
pairing to introduce the resolution In
the modified form.
Lodge and Root Pick Flaws
The most remarkable feature OF the
situation was the fact that legisla-
tiOA OA tuIS VIAL 6uVul4
have been hurried to the Capitol In
the closing hours of Congress In q
form so ambiguous as to cause grave
doubts as to the chara .ter OF the
powers conveyed by It, AS soon ~
the resolution reached the Senate
Senators Lodge and Root picked
flaws In 1t. some Of which they con-
tended would be sure to give Of
Tense to one or more Of the bellig-s
erents.
The most irportant change agreed
unon AT the White House conferences
related to the power given to tho
President under the terms Of the
resolution to treat merchant vessels
OF foreign. regsstry which are sua-
pected of Violating neutrality ON the
same basis as bellfRerent ships. IN
t~-n'nR them II necessary. This pro-.
vision would. Of course. b. aimed
chiefly at the large number Of Ger
man vessels now ,.irw IN the United
States ports. 80. Senators AncE AnA
Lodge pointed out the lfkelihoO4 th4k
Germany would take clfenss - e1