The Washington times., 1916-03-05
FlASCO FEARED.
IN HOUSE OVER.
ARMED LINERS.
Lower Hall Of Congress May
Duplicate Unsatisfactory
Performance Of Senate.
NO VOTE UNTIL TUESDAY
BY THEODORE TILLER.


The House of Representatives is
about to duplicate the unsatisfac-
tory performance of the Senate in
handling the armed ship issue and
the demand of the President for a
showdown in Congress on a funda-
mental international policy.
A parliamentary tangle that
threatens to befuddle the House,
the Senate was befuddled by the
Gore substitute, is in prospect to-
day.
Although the President sent a
letter to Congressman Pou last
Tuesday, asking immediate action
in Congress on the question Of
whether Americans shall travel on
armed merchantmen of belliger-
ents, the House will not vote until
Teusday, or later, on this question.
WEEK WILL ELAPSE.
A week or more will have elapsed
when Congress responds to the earnest
wish Of the Executive to know whether
the legislative branch was for or
against his foreign policies.
Party politics. the personal ambitions
OF certain members. chronic absentee
ism. conflicting leadership, uncertainty
as to the attitude OF House Republicans,
evasion of vote on the direct issue
involved, and q parliamentary snarl
that would afford material for a comic
opera. are the contributing causes today
to a House policy of inaction and indie
cision.
The House Rules Committee. which Is
to make privileged the report of the
Foreign Affairs COMMITTEE to table the
McLemore resolution warning Ameri-
cans not to use the armed ships of
belligerents, failed to act yesterday.
The committee will meet tomorrow
and seek to extricate the House from a
new confusing predicament regarding
the method OF procedure.
democratic members OF the Rules
committee today face the prospect that
no matter how they may draw their
conjunction with insurgent democrats,
may force a vote in che House on un-
desirable issues. Actual fear that a
Special rule may. be defeated-which
would take the floor away from Admin
lstration upporters-harasses Demo-
Gratis today.
Majority Leader Kitchin sought YES
teroay to have the Rule Committee pro
WAC TOT vote on the direct issue,
snail Americans travel on armed mer-
chantment?"
Mr.. iKtchin contended that a mere
vote to table the McLemore resolution
would not present the clear-cut cues
ton which he assumed the President
sought to have settled. The majority
leader said he resarded the McLemore
resolution as faulty, and probably
would vote, to table II. although he
might earnestly desire to warn Amer
on armed merchantmen.
Turned Down Nevertheless.
Nevertheless. the majority leader was
turned down by men on the Rules Com
mttee. and House leaders who are con-
sidered as the Presidents spokesman.
1t was apparent the Presidents sun
porters would stand for nothing save a
ton.
Then there came the discovery that
the Mclemore resolution Is already on
the table and the House was about to
90 through the performance of taking
It on the table and putting il back
against. This parliamentary absurdity,
10 explained below, is to be avoided by
JuSgnng almost as amusing.
shades OF Thomas Jefferson, who
wrote our manual" exclaimed a bewil-
dered member. This all comes Of trv-
ing to do by indirection something that
nave been done by direction; It is mega
tive action in lieu of affirmative action,
and this always mNddlesc a situation"
Adminlstratio1 supporters were not
enthusiastic over the delay of a vote
until Tuesday. but, as forecast in yes
terday's Times. there were important
reasons for non-action.
The Indiana primaries are to be held
tuesday, and II was whispered about
the House that some OF the distinguish
co Democrats from that state might fail
or reelection were they forced to vote
on this international question before
the primaries. There are German and
anti-German sympathizers scattered
throughout Indiana. one should UNDER
stand.
Tammany Congressmen, who like to
spend the weekend" In New York
were also factors In the delay program
Some OF these were away; they may
vote against the Administration when
they come, according to House gossip
Another disturbing element were con-
ferences among Republicans, who re-
fused to promise to support any rule.
Disconcerting Situation.
when the Rules Committee finally con-
vened. a disconcerting parliamentary
situation was discovered, Additional
complications were found in the fear
of Democrats that IL may not be pos
sible to get approval of a so-called
gag rule" to kill the McLemore resolu-
ton. and the entire armed ship contro-
versy may be thrown open to discus
sion and action In the House. Reports
of an almost solid Republican vote
against the special rule COMPOUNDED the
Democratic members of the Rules
Committee and sent Administration sup
porters scurrylng about on a nose
counting mission.
The parliamentary smart presented is
II was the opinion OF members OF
the Rules Committee that the report of
the Foreign Affairs Committee on the
McLemore resolution Is a. adverse re-
port. Under the rules, an adverse re-
port lies upon the table. Within three
days after presentation a member may
place an adverse report upon the House
calendar by making a motion to that eff
feet No motion OF this character has
yet been made, and the McLemore reso-
luton Is therefore upon the table"
without any action of the House.
II the Rules Committee had brought
In yesterday a rule to make privileged
She consideration OF the McLemoro