Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-02-24
SHOULD WARN
AMERICANS OFF
!. ARMED VESSELS
Senate Leaders Sharply Dissent
From President wilson's
Stand.
PRESIDENT OPPOSES
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Both Houses in State Of Tension
Take Entire Day Over
Latest Turn.

Washington, Feb. 23.-Agitation
in congress in favor of warning
Americans off of armed ships of Bel
ligerents suddenly grew. to such pro.
portions today that Democrats Of
the foreign affairs committee voted
to canvass the sentiment of the
house on several pending resolutions
of that nature.
Sentiment in the senate in favor
Of some such action was openly ex-
pressed, but at the end Of day OF
surprises, tension and agitation such
as has not been seen in congress In
some time, the word came that Pres.
ident Wilson still was unalterably
opposed to any such action by con.
gress, and believed that he would
only be embarrassed thereby in the
negotiations with Germany.
Situation, Is Grave.
TO widely circulated suggestions
that the situation had reached =
point where The president s0en
would lay it before congress, that
Secretary Lansing in some way
might define the attitude Of the gov
ernment in communication to Sen.
ator Stone and that time had been
fixed within which the United States
would expect Germany to signify her
intention to abandon the announced
intention to, sink armed merchant
ships without warning, the uniform
statement was made officially that
nothing had been determined upon.
and that the situation, though grave.
still was awaiting one and that no
final position would be announced
until Berlin was heard from.
The suden developments at the
capital brought surprise and appre.
hension to the administration lead.
ers. While confronted with the pos
sibility of congressional interference
with all it's grave aspects, ranging
from detection from the. admins
tration policy to downright ambar-
rassment of the president and secre-
tary of state, the leaders were conf
dent they would control the situa.
tion and leave the executive branch
of the government free to carry on
diplomatic negotiations with Ger.
many.
Business Blocked.
At no time today did the question
come out openly on the floor Of
either the house or the senate, but
about score of congressman, who
announced they were in favor of
warning Americans, even If it in.
volved a reputation of the admins.
tration policy, if thereby they
thought war would be averted, kept
both houses in a state of tension
that practically blocked business,
May Mean War.
All the demonstration was in the
democratic ranks and there was no
open show of sentiment among the
republicans. It was indicated, how
ever, that Republican Leader Mann
sympathized with President Wilson'S
policy and that any outbreak would
have to reckon with his force. From
apparent authentic sources came
statements tonight that the president
was determined that the dispute be
settled without prolonged neg0tia.
tions. He is known to believe. how.
ever that the breaking OF Of diplo-
matte relations with Germany means
war, and there will be no undue haste
in handling the situation involving
such a possibility.
Developments Expected.
The administration view is that
a broad and important principle is in.
volved in the rights Of Americans to
travel on belligerent merchantmen,
and that this right must not be abans
doned
Developments are expected mo.
mentarily. Tomorrow may bring Ger.
many's reply to the request Of tho
United States, made last week,
through Ambassador Won BernstorR.
for assurance that the notices to
sink armed merchantmen after Feb.
rpary % does not nullify previous
pledges given in the Arabic and Lusi.
tania negotiatios. Ohacial advices
from Berlin have indicated that Ger
many will reply that previous aasur.
ances will not be affected, but that
thov onnliod on1y IN u0Arme6 ahaHn