The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1916-03-10
TEST BETWEE
WILSON AND FOES

Washington, March 7.-On the eve
of what friends of the administration
have planned as the final fight to end
agitation in the house over the ques
ton of armed merchant ships, debate
on the subject broke out on the house
floor and continued hotly for more
than an hour.
When it was over there seemed tc
be more of a partisan alignment than
at anytime since the issue arose.
Representative Mann of Illinois, the
Republican leader, and Representative
Lenroot of Wisconsin, Republican
member of the rules committee, gave
notice that they would oppose the
rule under which it is proposed to ta'
bic the McLemore warning resolution
after ninety minutes of debate on the
rule and four hours discussion of the
resolution itself.
Flood in Patriotic Plea.
On the other hand, Chairman Flood
of the foreign affairs committee, who
has been understood personally to ia
vor warning resolution, voiced an
appeal to all patriotic congressman tc
stand by the president.
There will be formidable opposition,
both in and out Of the party, however,
and the influence of William Jennings
Bryan is being taken into account as
a big factor to be dealt with.
Fourteen representatives and two
senators met at lunch with Mr. Bryan
in the private dining room of hotel
near the Capitol and discussed affairs
generally.
What transpired there remained
secret, except that Representative
Bailey of Pennsylvania, who was the
host, said no general agreement was
reached on what action should be tax.
en- on the armed ship question. Repre-
sentative Van Dyke of Minnesota was
among those present.
Resolution on Calendar.
The first step toward getting the
McLemore resolution before the house
was taken by Representative Foss of
Illinois, a Republican, at the request
OF the Democratic members of the
rules committee, it is said. He asked
that it be placed on the calendar, and
it was done without debate.
But Mr.. Gardner did not wait The
house was in the committee of the
whole considering a homestead bill
when he heard of the report, and oh.
tanning time for a speech, he launch.
ed into a vigorous attack on the rules
committee, declaring that it's failure
to report a straight warning resolu.
ton could be attributed only to parti'
saHship and fear of the result of such
vote.
AS Mr.. Gardner finished speaking,
score of representatives, who have
been nursing warning resolution
speeches for days. sprang to their fec
and pleaded with the leaders in charg'
of the homestead bill for a chance tc
talk. Representative Mann took the
first opportunity on the Republican
side to talk himself
Mann Heartily cheered.
The galleries seemed to fill by magic
and representatives rushed in from
cloakrooms. His opening words, de,
claring that Mr.. Gardner spoke for
no one but himself, were greeted with
applause and thenceforth until the con.
clusion of his speech, which lasted
about fifteen minutes. he frequently
was interrupted by shouts of approval
II dare say said Mr. Mann, "there
are few members of the house who
would say that the McLemore resolu.
ton, so called, expressed his senti-
ment or his position. and I undertake
to say that majority of the members
of this house, if they expressed their
opinion are of the opinion that Ameri
can citizens at this time ought not to
compicate the situation by travelling
in arm ed merchant vessels "