The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-03-07
PRESIDENT SCORES IN
THE FIRST SKIRMISH
Sweeping Victory for Wilson in Senatt
Likely to Be Followed by Similar
IndOsrement in House.

The State.
Washington March 3.-In the great
est of internationala games everplayed
that of determining the position of the
/ UY;ted States on the armed ship con-
troversy-now staged in Washington
this mornings contest in the senate
ended in victory for the president by
the score of IS to a. After this there
was, throughout the day, determined
effort to get on the presidential band
wagon because of the feeling that the
president, having won decisive vic
tory in the upper house of congress,
the other end of the capitol would be
a comparatively easy matter.
While friends Of the president be-
lieved that the Gore resolution warn
ing Amricans to keep off armed ships
would go in the discard through one
of the many legislative methods for
so doing. there was never thought
Tor moment that the administration
would win the day by so large score
1t came as big surprise to those who
have followed the president through
all his International troubles. At first
they were unable to realize that the
senate end Of the troubl had probably
been eec;ive,y settled, save for the
windjamming which will be done to-
morrow by Jones Of Washington and
others who claimed, af,er the vote was
taken, that they had been sandbagged
with Dmocratic gag rule.
The act that Senator Gore himself
! voted to table his resolution was 1he
strongest indication that the backbone
q the administration opposition had
| been broken. So far as further .rou
bic in the senate is concerned the can
did opinion here now is that it is prac-
ticaiiy over.
AS forecast in yesterdays dispatches
to The State, unless all information
gathered today is wrong and unless all
signs fail, the action of the house
is MOI likely to fly in the face o. the
president and take different course.
especially when it has the senate
precedent to follow, which will relieve
it Of any censure which might come
from not having acted otherwise.
The belief here now is that no mat
ter what resolutions may come from
the house committee on foreign a.
fairs and what qualifications may be
attached to them, the administration is
due FOR its second victory on the
warning issues when the committee
Or rules takes the floor.
Having already won the first of the
two game series by score of IS to IA,
the president is scheduled to clear the
bases when next he steps to the bat.
The way will then be open for him to
act, either with or without the help of
congress. His hands will be Tree to
unite the complicated international
knots which now bind them.
When Postmaster General Burleson
advised the president to call for a
showdown the president then decided
upon policy of determining once for
all whether the administration would
be hamstrung by congress. The cap
itals of foreign countries were already
gossiping about congress having more
power than the president, and it was
necessary to do something. After it
is all over the president will be more
strongly entrenched in administrative
powers than at any time since he went
into the White House. If it was neces-
sary to beat congress over the head
the president was ready to do ii and
it looks like a first class job. There
will then be no question d his powers
under the constitution being usurped
by congress.