The Washington herald., 1916-03-08
Both Sides Claim Victory.

: Both Sides Claim Victory.
The votes were:
/ On a motion to shut OF debate and
| prevent amendment Of a special rule for
the consideration Of the McLemore reso-.
lution-ayes. &c: noes, $50; present.
On the special rule placing the No
| Lemore resolution before the House
ayes. n: noes. is: present, /.
On the motion 10 lay the McLemore
resolution on the table-syes, ZIG; noes.
lf2; present, l.
After the struggle OF the day was over
and the last vote had been counted. the
situation in the strife between the Prezi-
dent and a part OF Congress looked Ike
this:
! The Presidents supporters declared he
had won a victory: that the House had
voted to support him In his demand that
Americans be allowed TO ride unnolssted
/ on armed ships Of beIHgerents, and that
the House had shown that the country
was behind the President
The supporters OF proposals 70 keep
Americans OF armed ships declared that
1.-THE administration supporters had evzded
the issue; that the vote in the House IN
no way settled the question, and that the
attitude Of Congress was stin IN doubt
! because the merits OF the proposal had
not been voted upon directly.
In a debate which for excitement ana
bitterness fell somewhat short Of what
had baep eNnscfnS e.. ryn.,.. .NN-z
over the international situation for more
than seven hours. Impassioned speeches
on both sides Of the question aroused
the House, and now and then the Ep-
pIause swept the crowded galleries.
Points of DIscussion.
On the floor was the largest attendance
the House has seen for years speakei
Clark found it difficult to compel order.
The scores Of speakers who discussed
the issue centered their arguments on q
few points.
The proponents OF warning legislation
declared that the course being followed
by the President was likely 10 lead the
United States into war. They bitterly
criticised this policy and declared that
Congress should place itself on record as
against such a war.
The administration supporters rallied
their followers with the cry, Support
the President as against the world"
They declared that interference by Con-
gress in foreign affairs had tied Pres
dent Wilson's hands in his negotiations
with Germany: had ''hamstrung' his sc-
uvities. They urged that the House show
that the nation is not divided. and plead
ed for a united front to all foreign ma
tons
Only once during the day did feeling
in the House become bitter. Then
Chairman Flood. OF the FOREIGN Affairs
Committee. closing debate just before
the final vote was taken, aroused the
ire OF Republican supporters OF the
warning resolution by charging them
with political motives in the considera-
ton OF the question.
Representative Flood made an eIo-
Quent plea for support for the .Presi-
dent, asserting that the agitation OF
< the warning resolution had tied hts
hands in his negotiations with Ger
many.
This country" he said. must main
tain its position as the great neutral
nation OF the world today. We must
insist upon the recognition Of those
principles Of international law. which
have been laid down for the conduct
Of the nations. We must insist upon
the recognition OF the rights OF ueu-
trails and the strict adherence OF the
belligerents to the rules OF the game"
Reply Of Republican Speaker.
The debate against the Presidents
position was concluded by Representa-
tive Cooper. the ranking Republican
member of the Affairs Committee.
He declared that 70 vote down the
President OF the United States. Some OF
resolution meant giving the President
the authority TO declare war, and ar
Eued that the President was not in a
position to do this. He said:
Mr.. Speaker. the situation before the
country is grave. II we are TO believe the
the speakers have said that there Is no
crisis The President says that there IA
1