Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-07
RULES COMMITTEE
OF HOUSE BACKS
PRESIDENT WILSON
Agrees to Report Rule Making
McLemore Warning ReSOIu-
ton an Immediate Special
Order With 4-Hour Debate
(By Associated Press. }

special rule for four hours debate on
the McLemore resolution warning Amer
leans off armed ships of the European
belligerents. This action puts the much~
discussed resolution into parliamentary
position where administration leaders
are confident they can kill it.
The four-hour debate On the Melee,
mere resolution itself will be evenly
divided between the administration \
forces and those opposed to it. and will
be preceded by an hour and a half of :
debate on the adoption of the special
rule.
The rules committees action today
is a preliminary victory fos the admin.
istration forces which have peen fighting j
TO ra week against delays and against Z
opposition to President Wilson's demand
that the house take up the resolution
and defeat it as a demonstration to Ger
many that the dissensions against his 4
foreign policy do not represent ma
jcrity of congress.
The special rule will provide thai
after the four hours debate the McLe-
more resolution will be before the house 4
for action. The program is to table it. \
thus expressing the sentiment of MAJ.
jOrity of the house that no Iegislationi Z
whatever regarding the travelling of
Americans on armed ships shall be en-
acted.
BRYAN IN WASHINGTON.
Z William j. Bryan made his headquaE-
tiers today at a hotel almost under the
shadow of the capitol and conferred at (
a luncheon with many congressman who
are rated as Bryan men. All of them :
are either strong advocates of a resclu7.
ton to warn Americans off armed ships
which Mr.. Bryan advocates, or are
against preparedness. Mr.. Bryan had
denied that he would take any active
part in the fight against the president
Administration supporters, however,
were counting on being ready to fight
his influence in the house. II
In the house itself, the administration
forces got the McLemore resolution on
tic the calendar from which it can be
called up when they are ready for q
vote.
The text of the rules committee pro-
posal follows:
Resolved, That Immediately upon the
adoption of this resolution the house
shall proceed to the consideration OF
II. Res. 147 (the McLemore resolution);
that there shall be four hours of general
debate, one-half to be controlled by the
Igentleman from Virginia, Mr.. Flood, and
one-half by the gentleman from Wiscon-
sin. Mr.. Cooper, and that at the conclu-
sion of said gentlemen. the said resoluS
ton shall be considered under the gem
| erdl rules Oh the HOuSS.
Republican members of the commit
tee voted solidly against the rule, while
Democrats unanimously supported it.
While the rules committee was meet
| ing. Representative Bailey, of Pennsyl-
vania, telephoned Invitations to senator's
and representatives TO lunch with Will
liam j. Bryan at 1 o'clock at a hotel near
the capitol. About twenty members OF
congress were invited. most of whom are
Of N L.
tion. .--
Some of those invited were Senators,
Kern and Vardaman, and Representatives
Galloway and Slayden. of Texas. sHelver-I
ing and Ayres, of Kansas, Steele, Of
Pennsylvania, Hensley of Missouri,
Stephens and Shallenberger Of Nebras-
ka. Dill of Washington, Van Dyke OF
Minnesota, Sisson of Mississippi, Tav-
enner of Illinois, Tillman of Arkansas,
Gordon of Ohio and Lobeck of Nebraska.
Efforts were made not only to invite
men regarded as particularly friendly to
Mr. Bryan but also to draw representa-
tives from as many. different sections Of
the country as possible. Thus leaders in
the movement believed a better general
view of the sitaution might be obtained.
Majority Leader Kitchin was invited
but declined on the ground that he had
an engagement. Mr. Kftchin spent the
greater Fart of the morning in confer
ence with Representative Shackelford.
the unofficial leader of the warning res
Clution advocates.
Mr. Bryan insisted that the luncheon
was only friendly gathering. Mr..
Bailey said it was meeting of those :
opposed to preparedness and favorable TO
warning passengers against taking pas
sage on armed ships.
He was emphatic in his declaration
that no conspiracy was on foot.
81 can't say a thing about the situa-
ton in congress-" Mr.. Bryan said. II
don't know what it is
What I shall say today is problemat-
ical | won't say that l shall not discuss
warning American citizens against TAX
ing passage on armed ships, but L will
say that 1 have said nothing about it
thus far
Mr.. Bryan told the guests he could re-
main only an hour or two as he had to
leave for Wilmington, Del, at 4:3O
o'clock
Republican congressman vecan.- Ag-
gressive today in advocating speedy ac-
ton to table the McLemore warning res
olution and al lothers pertaining to the
subject Representative Gardner circu-
lated petitions urging the minority mem
bers of the rules committee not to OBJ
struct an early report.
Representative Gardner told Acting
that the attitude of many Republican
members toward the warning issue had
been misrepresented.
When the senate convened Senator
NrCumber, author of pending warning
resolution, again discussed the subject.
THE country, while ever ready to de-
fend the rights of its citizens, does not
want its citizens to lead it heedlessly
into war; he said.
When Representative Gardner de-
clared in the house that there should
be clear vote on the subject Repub-
lican Leader Mann anuounced that he
was against bringing the matter up in
the house at all.
81 have believed" said Mr.. Mann,
Gin letting the house attend to its con-
stitutionaI duties and letting the presi-
dent attend to his constitutional duties
The house resounded with cheers when
Mr.. Mann took the floor and aSsailed
Americans who might involve the coun-
try in war by travelling on armed ships.
Il hope our citizens never will be
Tut to the test of having to fight be-
cause some fool has incolved us by
entering upon joy ride" he shouted.