South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-03-02
WILSON WILL WAIT
TILL CONGRESS ACTS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

are 10 take this action tney lntenu
that they will have adequate reasons
TO explain TO their constituents.
The situation could hardly be
more serious. canvass of the
membership OF the house shows that
at the present time the president
cannot count on a majority of the
membership. The hoped for repub-
lican support is absent. At a secret
conference Of the republican mem
bers OF the foreign affairs committee
today it was decided that the senti-
ment was opposed TO any report on
any resolution that would deal di-
rectly with the present situation. As
far as the republicans were willing
to go, would be TO adopt a resolu-
ton which would simply reaffirm
that the president had power 10 eX-
haust diplomatic methods before
congress could be called on 10 act.
This would mean nothing. but would
rather tend TO further confuse the
issue. The democrats are so badly
divided that the leaders admit they
do not know what will happen
Negotiations Held Up.
Meanwhile. Sec'y of State Lansing
added TO the confusion by admitting
at his conference today with the
newspaper correspondents that the
submarine negotiations have sub
stantially been suspended pending
the outcome Of the present situation
in congress" This led 10 a report
which was very widely spread. but
,~I, % -
firmation that the president had de-
cided that in the event that congress
refused to back up his position. he
would announce that the negotia-
tons with Germany and Austria
over the Lusitania and the Ancona
were unsatisfactory in view Of the
Inauguration of the new submarine
warfare and would give Ambassador
Won Bernstorff and Austrian Charge
Zwiedinek their passports.
This latter report was passed
from member to member in the eX-
cited conferences of the day, al
though just where il originated was
possible 10 learn and the white house
and state department were mute on
the subject 1t was, of course, real
lied that the president has the power
TO take such action should he so de-
sire.
In fact, the plan of action OF the
president should congress fail to
support him was seriously concern
ing the democratic leaders. 1t was,
of course, admitted that he would
refuse to accept denomination or to
continue the democratic leader in
the nation if he could not secure the
support he demanded. But some of
the democrats feared he might even
go further than that although there
was a wide division of opinion as TO
just what he could do.
During the exciting debate on the
submarine issue in the senate this
afternoon Sen. Gore created a pro-
found sensation by declaring that
he had learned from high author
! ity'' that at one of the conferences
between PRIEST Wilson and members
OF congress the president had said
that "a state Of war might not be
bad thing for this country as il
would bring the war to a cOnclu-
sion in the middle Of the summer
and in that way the United States
would be performing a great ser
vice to humanity"
II do not know whether this is
/ true" said Sen. Gore ct tell the
tale as it came TO me, but il came
in such a way from such high auth
ority and with such earmarks of
truth that ii hardly can be doubted.
II wish in all fairness TO state
that the president never stated TO me
or in my hearing that he believed
in any way that war between the
United States and the central powers
would be desirable or would result
in good for the United States" said
Sen. Stone.
Il was informed that the president
told the senator from Missouri that
the participation Of the United
States would bring the war to a
close by the middle Of the summer
Is that righr?" demanded Sen. Gore
Sen. Stone said that he had not at
tempted to quote what the president
had told him and that he did not
| propose TO do so.
The senate will vote tomorrow tC
sustain or repudiate the submarine
question. Sen. Stone, chairman OF
the foreign relations committee, after
conferences with other senators. to-
day announced on the floor of the
senate that the way would be clear.