Evening star., 1916-03-04
FIGHT ON RULE is FEARED
BY ADMINISTRATION MEN
Its Defeat Would Leave the Prest
dent Without Any Expression
From the House.
DEBATE RENEWED IN SENATE
Conviction Expressed That Vote
Must Be Taken Directly on
Merits Of Warning
Proposal.

The House today refused to
take an immediate vote on the
proposal to table the McLemore
resolution warning American citi-
zens off armed belligerent mer-
chant ships. No vote will be
taken before Tuesday.
After morning full OF changes
OF decision on the part of leaders,
it is now impossible for the Presi-
dent to get vote on the PROPOSE
ton on which he insisted in his
recent letter to Representative
Pou until Tuesday afternoon
at the earliest. The confusion
OF the past week was outdone a
score of times by the utter chaos
of the early hours around the
Capitol today, until Leader
kitchin told members that they
could leave the city this afternoon
and not fear that a vote would
be taken until they returned early
next week
Press for Immediate Action.
Representative Kitchin and members
of the House rules committee came to
the conclusion early this morning not
to allow rule to be brought out fore
ing an immediate vote on the recon-
mendation of the House foreign affairs
committee to place the McLemore reso-
luton before the House and then vote
to lay it on the table. Coupled with
this recommendation was the sugges-
ton which came from the administra-
ton side to limit debate as much as
possible.
After this decision not to bring in q
rule today there was a rush of admin
istration men to demand immediate ac-
the Speakers office and the only ray
of light arising therefrom that
desperate effort is being made to bring
in rule that Will permit a vote on
the merits of the McLemore resolution.
and to find something that will gain
for the administration the greatest
possible number of votes.
No Vote Until Tuesday.
The conference held in Speaker
Clark's Office adjourned with no formal
action except decision to hold a
rules committee meeting at o'clock
TODAY. A so-called gentleman's agree
ment was made not TO have a vote be-
fore Tuesday.
Speaker Clark was opposed TO a vote
Monday. as it would interfere with the
unanimous consent calendar.
Reports of special rule to give the
House an opportunity to vote on the
straight warning issue instead Of
the McLemore resolution were
Majority Leader Kitchin
said such move had been discussed.
Such action would not be disagreeable
to the President.
Majority Leader hltCnln, soon dIloF
noon, began notifying members that
they would not be needed to vote until
next Tuesday at the earliest.
Dissatisfied With Report.
Coupled with the move of the House
foreign affairs committee yesterday is
a report which is said to be not entire-
ly to the liking of all the administra-
in hn ho
the subject of animated conferences to-
day.
1t was learned late in the day that
the administration leaders fear a heavy
vote against the adoption of the spe-
cial rule. and that one of the big state
delegations will cast almost its entire (,
strength against such rule. If the
rule is defeated, it would simply take
out of the House any chance to vote on
the McLemore resolution, and would
mean that the House refuses to give
the President any expression on the
matter in any way at ALL AS the day
this possibility was dis
cussed more and more
President Not Consulted.
The decision of House leaders today
10 postpone a vote until Tuesday was
cached without consultation with the
President and confused the situation.
L was said the White House was op-
posed to postponing action.
There also was some objection from
ome of the administration adherents.
,hairman Flood of the foreign affairs
committee, all the members of the rules
committee and many Of the leaders
,athered in Speaker Clarks office to
liscuss the situation.
Acting Chairman Pou of the RULES
committee at the beginning of the
loubt.
Administration forces hope the action
o table tho McLemors 5esolptea viii