The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-02
Suspension of Diplomatic Rela-
tons Would Mean War.
SQUABBLE is ALL POLITICS
President and Congress Playing
ga Little Came"
Burleson Accused of Being
After Scalps in the House.
BY WILLIS j. ABBOT.

/ Washington, March 1.-THE presi-
dent is said to have stated to more
than one member of congress called
/ into council with him that in the event
of the sinking of an armed belHgerent
merchantmen upon which there may
happen to be an American citizen, he
Will instantly send Ambassador Won
Bernstorff his passports.
Men versed in diplomatic affairs
and cognizant of the subtle undercur-
rent of forces running through our
foreign relations today agree that the
suspension of diplomatic intercourse
with Germany would inevitably result
in war.
With these two related facts fresh
in their minds, the members of the
| house committee on foreign affairs sat
down "Wednesday to consider the pres
dents demand that congress slap Ger
many in the face by voting down reso-
lutions Designed to dissuade Ameri-
cans from travelling on armed mer-
chantmen belonging to the allies.
After four hours of consideration of
that situation, the committee adjourn
ed without any action Only four
members of the committee upheld the
presidents policy. If the view of four
fifths of the members of the commit
tee can be made effective, it never will
take any action. Consideration of the
presidents demand will be prolonged
until it is thought safe to decline COM
pliance with it altogether.
| No Immediate Action.
| The president it is true. asked inn
mediate consideration of some resolu-
ton which he did not specify. Moth
ing immediate is to be done. 1t is
highly improba able that any recon-
mendation from the committee will
reach the floor of the house this week.
In thus deferring action, the members
do not hesitate to say that they are
! trying to save the president from him
self, for most of them believe that
the chances of passing the warning
| resolutions, to which he objects have
been increased rather than diminished
by his peremptory demand for con-
gressional action.
There is, of course, some politics
behind the unwillingness of the COM
mittee to acquiesce in the pr esidentfs
demands, just exactly as there was
| politics in the action of the president
in making it Mr.. Wilson had been
! persuaded by Postmaster General Bur-
| Lesson, who used to be in congress, but
is sirgularly ignorant of its temper
| today, that the sentiment which last
week would have forced the passage
Of the warning resolutions, had died
| out and that the president might safe
Iy demand a vote on them. Their de-
feat would be heralded over the land
as another iroicaIion of the masterful
way in which President Woodrow
| Wilson Subdued congress to his will.
Some congressman do not hesitate
| to charge that Mr.. Burleson tried to
force this. issue. knowing that a record
vote in the house oC these resolutions
would defeat certain representatives
whom he dislikes. For the discussion
| of the resolutions has taken such
form that the congressman who votes
for them will be described in his dis
| trict as an anti-Wilson man, while he
who votes against them will be labeled
| prC-Rritish.
Congressman Uneasy.
Neither designation is one that the
| candidate in a close district desires
to bear. In many districts a vote by
the sitting Democrat either way might
defeat him in the primaries or at the
polls.
As a result, neither the president
nor his adviser Mr.. Burleson, is loved
for the political change he has
wrought.
But there is a graver side to the
contest The issue that the president
strives to force has in it the possibili-
ties of war. A month ago, the word
was little used in congressional discus
sion. Today it is in every mouth.
/ Two months ago the Democratic boast
was that the president has kept US out
of war. Today the Democratic appre-
| hension spoken by no means family, is
that the president is ready for war.
Even those who insist that Mr. Will
son is sincerely DESTROYS of maintain
ing peace admit the fear that his
vacillation in method, combined with
stub rnness in insisting on a technl-
calIty, may yet emDroil the nation in
a war for which here is no reason and
which the people VIII only half heart
edly approve.
| 1t would be idle to deny that there
exists in congress new and grave dis
trust of the discretion, judicial poise.
| diplomatic judgment of the president.
1t is for this reason that the commit
tee on foreign affairs is SO unwilling
20 acquiesce in his demands.
] Not all the coercion the administra-
| ton can bring to bear can unite the
| Democratic side of the house in favor
! Of the presidents provocative policy.
| HAEAl IlRE m