The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-03-06
Declares That Vital Legislation
Mas Been Held Up By "Group
Of Wllful Men Representing
No One Except Themselves"
URGES CHANGE IN RULES
OF SENATE TO MEET NEED
Points Out That Contemplate
Trick" Has Made Il Impossible
For the Administration To
Arm Ships Against Divers
tAssOcia.sd Press ~ Tsdsral wlrslss.,

tAssOcisssd Press by Federal wireless,
w AsHlNGToN, March s.
~ Deploring the filibuster in
the senate by means of which the
measure which would have en-
abled him to arm American mer.
chantmen against the murderous
attacks of German submarines
was defeated at the last minute of
the last session. President Wilson
Immediately after taking the oath
of Office in the President room of
the Capitol issued statement yes
terday, dealing with the situation,
and limiting at an extra session of
congress to deal with the interna-
tional situation. .-.-,
1t was the action of few sena-
tors, he, declared, that baked the
plans ofTthe administration, and
made it impossible for him to pro-
coed with the arming of merchant
men, and he added that he be-
lieves that the senate Should
amend the rules at special ses-
sion on Monday in order to take
the necessary action to meet the
situation"
He did not disclose his policy
regarding the arming of merchant
craft. Vs..
In his statement the President
said in part -
/ The termination of the sixty
fourth congress by constitutional
limitation disclosed a situation I'M
paralleled.in the history of our
country, or perhaps in the history
OF any government in the history
OF the world. Certain ! do not
now recall such a situation in his
TORY.
The nation is in the Immediate
presence Of crisis fraught with
the most subtle and far-reaching
possibilities, yet congress is un,
able to so. act as to enable the gov
eminent "a. meet that menace, to
safeguard the citizens of the
country and to vindicate their
rights on the high seas.
I'm that congress there were
more than five hundred out of the
FIVE hundred and thirty-one mem
bers, who were willing and
anxious that such steps should be
taken. They were ready to act;
ready to give to the administra-
ton the power to act for the good
of the nation, but a little group of
Senator's, wilful men, utterly in
different to the right men who do
not represent the opinion of their
constituents, who represent no
opinion save their own, have rem
dered the great government Of the
United States helpless by a con-
temptible trick, ..:. ...
"Tbeir action has been contemptible
| The senate has no rules by which dc.
bate can DO brought to an end. 1t has
no rules by which dilatory tactics such
as these senator's have adopted, can be
brought TO naught. This lack, based
upon the belief that the senator needed
not the rules that might hamper a les.
ser man, was traded upon by these men,
with the resulting paralysis of all leg
islation and the tying up of the ok.
eeutiye branch of the government
They strangled the senate at mo.
meat when every second Of time
eountedi when the world was watching
to see what this government il going
20 do; when We are more or less on
trial before the world. They pre.
vented the passage Of vital leOiala