The Washington times., 1916-01-30
Arms Embargo Will Be
Beaten, Senator'S Say
Some Believe If Embargo Should Pass, the President
Would Veto It-"Dangerous Political Situation
Declared to Have Arsen-Strong Move
ment for Act.
By JUDSON C. WELLIVER.

that our contribution OF munitions Is
much more important than II really y;
and that to shut off these exports wouiu
Hof course. Sis' II t"s would have no such ef-
rect: It would merely give an advantage
to the central countries as against inc
allies. About the time when this ad-
vantage began to show military results,
the underlying American feeling In IA:
vor of the allies would assert itself, and
the Administration or the members OF
Congress that had been responsible Tor
the embargo would find themselves
blamed for paying any attention to the
petitions. 1t Is q dangerous ponticai
situation; I believe that II we ignore
the petitions We will create some hos
tillty, and II we acquiesce in them we
will later have an even more determined
criticism to meet. For myself. L be-
lieve that we cannot now. after one
side in the war has established control
OF the seas. take a step that would
amount to depriving it Of that advant-
/ age; II would be an unneutral act
Therefore ! shall vote against the en-
| barge"
Would Clamp Down Lid.
The recent Senatorial discussion of the
! subject has set on foot determined
effort to clamp down the I'D on future
discussions of the same kind. Tho
| Hitchcock bill to prohibit exports has
been sent to the Committee on Foreign
Relations, and even among members
who have indicated their intention to
| support the bill, there Is said to be a
| good deal Of wish that the measure may
be quietly put TO sleep in the commit
! tee.
| With this program friends of the Ad-
ministration are heartily sympathetic.
| They were almost in panic when. on
/ the very same day that the President
spoke In New York for preparedness.
the Senate broke out with an express
! sion OF demand for the embargo. 1t
| caused real alarm lest the Administra-
| ton was going TO be defed by con-
! siderable number of its own party Sen
! ators. Pressure is now being applied by
! the politicians TO keep the measure from
reaching q vote.
! how the Foreign Relations Commit
; tee stands is not at all certain. one
! Senator, who favors the embargo. cX-
| pressed the opinion that the bill in It's
| present form would not get out: but
/ he believed there was a good chance TO
| bring out a measure giving the Prcsi-
| dent power to impose the embargo. by
| executive order, IL at any time he deem
| cd it dcsra BILE.
| Full of Politics.
| This would be q pleasant way to UNI
} load all the responsibility on the Presi-
! dent: 1t would be q nominal victory for
/ the embargo advocates. and a SOP tc
the anti-munitions sentiment, while al
the same time it would not change the
present situation, because there is nc
! chance that President Wilson would
, proclaim an embargo.
But democratic politicians don't want
this responsibility unloaded on the Ad.
ministration. 1t would give all the ad-
| vantage to the Republicans, and the
question. despite the proclamations OF
! Congress members to the contrary. is
as full OF politics as an egg OF sustcn-
ance. The Democrats who are keeping
party advantage and interest in mind
are determined that the Hitchcock bill
shall stay in the Foreign Relations
Conn ittee.