The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1916-02-25
WRANCLE OVER
WARNING NOTE
IN THE HOUSE
PRESIDENTS ACTION ON NO.
TICE TO AMERICANS BY
CONGRESS is UNSHAKEN.
LIVELY SCENES IN HOUSE.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24.-Congress
assembled today with the agitation for
action warning Americans off belliger-
ent ships overshadowing all other
questions. President Wilson's support
ers, apprehensive that the shoulder
ing sentiment might suddenly blaze
up to embarrass the diplomatic
negotiations with Germany, were
forces in line and keep the question
from the floor of both house and SEN
ate.
The legislative situation in both
| houses favored the administration
forces. Thte senate was in the legis-
latiye day of yesterday, which prevent
ed the subject from coming up without
unanimous consent. The situation in
the house was similar, but not so Sc
cure. If an Outburst came the leaders
expected it would be there.
| Word went to the capitol again to-
ton to any action by congress was un-
shaken and that Chairmen Stone and
Flood of the committees dealing with
foreign affairs could explain his posi-
tiOn fully. Administration officials
outside of congress professed to be un-
disturbed by the agitation at the capt.
tol and expressed confidence that the
Presidents position would be support
ed
i mas -anllarent- that the situation
| in congress was due to some extent
to a lack of information of the Presi-
dents attitude. The foreign affairs
committee, in accordance with its ac-
tiOn of last night, began a canvass of
sentiment in the house to develop the
extent to which resolutions Of warn
ing would be supported and at the
same time disclose the opposition to
such proposals. The Republicans
generally were opposed to such action
and aside from the score of Demo
Gratis who Yesterday showed signs of
breaking over the administration re-
straint, the majority forces today ap-
parently were being held by the ap-
| peal, stand by the President"
Statements that the agitation had
attained the proportions of revolt
against the Presidents policy were
fatty denied on all hands and there
was no outward evidence to support
| them. Likewise, statements that the
Democrats had given the President a
certain time-forty-eig hours-it
was stated, to change his policy were
denied by everyone to whom they
were attributed.
One possibility which stood out
among all the others was that the
whole situation might be reduced ito
proposal that congress express the
sentiment. that Americans should not
bring their country into danger of
war by travelling on ships which Ger
many has announced she will sink
without warning.
| 1t was pointed out that such action
! would be quite different than legis-
! latiOn prohibiting Americans from
taking passage on such ships, as
some of the pending bills and resolu-
tons propose, and could not be
viewed as a surrender of rights. The
Democrats of the house foreign af-
fairs committee have agreed it is
their consensus of opinion that a
technical question of the right of
Americans to travel on armed ships
is not worth risking war.
The extent to which the political
element enters into the present sit
uation has not been disclosed. Ad-
ministration supporters, however, re-
call that former Secretary Bryan
brought with the President and left
the cabinet over the question Of
warning Americans off belligerent
ships. Among those who now are
supporting the agitation to put Mr..
Bryan's proposal into legislative
action are some senators and rep
resentatives, who have been num-
bered among Mr.. Bryan's admirers,
but it is true that some of them also
are classed as supporters of the
| President.
Those who are contending for the
support of the administration say
that while congress has not so far
been taken wholly into the Presi-
dents confidence in the submarine
NEGOTIATIONS, they have no doubt it
will be if the situation reaches a
point where the question Of continu-
ing friendly relations with Germany
has to be considered
Although the President is repre-
sented as having come to the conclu-
sion that the submarine negotiations
should be settled without more delay,
Germany has not yet replied to the
latest request from Washington for a
[eclartion that her previous assurance
for the safety Of unrestricting liners