Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-25
Threatening Performance of
Germany to Be Post
poned, Is Claim.
GREAT HELP TO WILSON
BY Giving Additional Time
President May Be Able
to Clear Issue.

Washington, Feb. 25.-"I think the
chances are Germany will postpone
this threatening performance until
April 1, or at least until the middle of
March" said Speaker Clark today, af-
ter a conference with President Will
son. There is rumor to that effect
and a postponement would give us
more time"
Speaker Clark told the president
that if resolution Of warning, such
as the president opposes, were forced
to a vote in the house now it would
pass by majority of two to one.
Congress met today with President
Wilson's position on the question OF
armed merchantmen clearly defined
Members of congress had read the
presidents letter to Senator Stone, in
which he declared unequivocally that
| he would not consent to an abridge-
| ment of the rights Of American citi-
zens in any respect
The presidents communication was
| in response to a letter from the Mis-
souri, senator outlining the situation
at the capitol, where for two days
| there had been a persistent demand
| for action by congress warning Amer
tfcans-' to keep off armed merchants
men.
The president said that he had striv-
en- for peace and had succeeded and
that he had no doubt that he would
| continue to succeed. He expressed
confidence that the explanations by
the central powers of the situation
, which has arisen over their armed
! merchantmen memoranda would soon
be received and that the explanations
! would put a different aspect on mat
| ters
The fight in congress over warning
Americans off armed ships marked
time today, with the parliamentary
/ situation and other developments fav-
oring President Wilson's position
President Wilson firmly reiterated
to house leaders the unyielding posi-
ton he outlined last night in his let
ter to Senator Stone.
| Former Secretary Bryan's influence
came openly into the fight today when
Representative Bailey of Pennsylvania
gave out a telegram from Mr., Bryan
opposing the presidents position and
supporting the agitation in congress.
Lodge Supports President.
! Senator Lodge, ranking republican
of the foreign relations committee. de-
clared support of the presidents posi-
| ton. Senator Gore, democrat, intro
duced his resolution warning Ameri-
cans, and Senator Jones, republican,
| introduced a resolution to require a
break in diplomatic relations to be re-
! ferred to congress. There was no
discussion.
Believe Resolution Would Pass.
President Wilson reiterated his op-
position to any action in congress
warning Americans off armed ships in
a conference early today with Speak
er Clark, majority leader Kitchin and
| Chairman Flood of the house foreign
affairs committee, and they in turn
told the president that if such a reso-
luton were brought to vote in the
house at this time it would be passed
by majority Of two to one.
The president was mistaken in his
position that congress should take no
action embarrassing his contention
that the rights of Americans on the
seas must be upheld at any cost and
repeated what he had written last
| night TO Senator Stone.
The house leaders went away tell
ing the president nothing would be
done today but they ventured no pre-
dictions. They admitted the situation
was serious and could not tell how