The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-03-03
HOUSE PASSES
POWER BILL
Authorizes President to Arm
Merchant Ships.
ONLY IS MEMBERS OPPOSE

Party Lines Are Forgotten In the Out
burst of Patriotism That Nearly All
Members Join In.
A bill to empower President
Wilson to arm the merchant ships,
but not extending the authority he
requested to use "other instru-
mentalities" in defending American
rights against the submarine menace,
was passed by the house by a vote of
403 to 10.
Speaker Clark announced the vote
amid applause and cheering.
Opposition to the bill had faded dur.
ing the day before patriotic appeals
from leaders on both sides of the
house, and when the roll was called
only nine Republicans, three Demo.
Gratis and the Socialist voted in the
negative.
An amendment by Representative
Cooper, of Wisconsin, to prohibit the
arming of munitions ships was reject
ed by the house by a vote of 1877 to
100.
This vote followed several Shours of
debate on Representative Floods arm
ed neutrality bill. Throughout the day
there was a lively exchange between
the two groups over the provisions of
the bill.
Originally only three hours were al
lotted to debate under the five-minute
rule, but SO many members s~ignniied
their wish to speak on the measure
that the debate was extended.
At the outset of the debate Chair
man Flood aroused intense enthusiasm
on both sides. Every reference to
Americas willingness to protect the
rights Of citizens wherever they had a
right to travel, was met with a volley
of applause.
He cited that authority for the presi-
dent to act as suggested in the bill had
been granted to other executives in
1894, 1898, 1905, 1915. 1889 and 1856,
and, incidentally, attacked the paci-
fists protesting against the bill.
"In 1885," he continued, conditions
were much as they are now. England
and France were at war, and France
was preying upon commerce as Ger
many is today. Many people in this
country at that time said our rights
should not be upheld and that to up
hold them would lead to wal with
France. We gave the president the
power, our commerce was protected,
our honor vindicated and wal was
averted."
"By this act" said Representative
war. If we should become involved in
war, however, the passage of this bill
would be one of the minor causes of
that direful result. 1t may be neces-
sary only to arm ships, but If we must
do more, the fault Is not ours. Give
the president this. power asked and
the question of war will be with Ger
many. There is no doubt of the right
of Americans to travel, and we hope
to uphold this right peacefully. If
that cannot be done, then we will do
it with arms.
"If Germany were conducting this
war with the instincts of humanity, we
might take our chances. I cannot I'M
derstand how this bill can fail to pass.
1t is a question of American rights
and when such a question arises in
this house there are no party lines"
Representative Cooper, of Wiscon-
sin, ranking Republican member of
the foreign affairs committee, argued
against the bill, and declared that arm
ingn a munition ship going to a bel
ligerent country would be an act of
war. He unsuccessfully urged an
amendment to prevent such ships
from arming. .