The Washington times., 1916-02-25
NO CONGRESS REVOLT

President Wilson has nobody but
himself to blame for the awkward
dilemma which has befallen him with
some of the Congress members Of his
own party. But nobody need think
that either the Senate or the House
is going to force the Administration,
IL the Administration does not wish
to be forced, into warning American
citizens off armed merchant ships
with all that this would mean.
President Wilson himself is re-
sponsible for the bitter spirit of
members of Congress that represent,
or imagine they represent, hyphen-
ated constituencies instead of Ameri-
can people. The Administration
has floundered and blundered SO be-
wilderingly with this question of
armed merchantmen that it led the
German foreign Office, the allies, and
its own newspaper organs and per-
sonal spokesman to understand that
it was going into this very business
of indorsing the new doctrine that a
submarine should torpedo armed
merchantmen without warning.
This mistake compromised Mr..
Wilson's foreign policy and lost him
all standing with the central powers,
because it confirmed their convictions
of a year and half that he was
afraid, under any provocation, to
come to a final issue with the Ger
man government.
It was a mistake which at worst
might have utterly alienated the al
lies from the United States, and at
best did destroy their faith in the
purpose of the United States Gov
ernment to be stable in its neutrality
or in anything else concerning the
war in Europe.
It was a mistake which led men,
bers of his own party to go to hy-
phenated constituencies and make
promises which now hang over the
heads of those who made them like
the sword of Damocles.
President Wilson, seeing how his
meditated course had aroused the
American nation, could change front,
and did; but Senator's and Represent
atives of his party who had made
or as good as made commit
ments with hyphenated constituents
couldn't get out of their predicament
either with the agility or with the
immunity of the President. They
are enraged because of the trap into
which they were put.
Nevertheless, they cannot com
mand sufficient following either ir
, the Senate or in the House to pass 6
J resolution that would compel or in
fiuence or even request the President
to take up with this Berlin doctrine
, The Republicans in Congress will
, take care of that. This was shown
/ in the Senate yesterday when ;
warning resolution Of Democratic
: Senator was blocked by Repub
; lican Senator.
/ In the Senate the Republicans ar,
: going to stand with Lodge agains
t this Berlin doctrine. In the Hous,
l they are going to stand with Mani
; against it, and when they stan,
5 against that doctrine they stand witt
3 the President-as long as he wi!
l stay hitched-and with the Presi
dents Congress supporters, who will
stay hitched as long as he stay
: hitched.
e The Republican members Of tn
y Senate following Lodge and the Re
n publican members of the House fol
S lowing Mann are not going to tol
s crate this doctrine from anybody
= across the seas or within our ow
( borders. That is what will save tn
e President from a revolt in his ow
= party. It is the only thing that save
e him.
h When the Democratic members O
Congress representing hyphenate
/, constituencies realize that if they tr
to force this Government to embrac
= the Berlin doctrine of armed mel
g chantmen they will be overwhelme
d by the votes alike of Democrats an
# Republicans who will hold the inter
" est, the safety, and the honor of the
o country above every other consider
e alton on earth-when those repre-
sentatives of hyphenatism reali7
y all that they will never lift finge
a in real revolt.
= The gist of Mr.. Wilson's letter
:" Senator Stone seems to be that or