The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-27
MEASURES FOR GUARDING U. s.
 SHIPS OFFERED

washington, Feb. 27-COnSidera- ton of President Wilson's request for authority to protect American ship ping on the high seas from German submarines began in congress today, with administration leaders handicap ped by the activities of a small group of pacifists in their own ranks and more by the opposition of Republi-
 cans to giving the executive blanket powers on the eve of adjournme
 Meetings of the committees on for eign affairs had been called for early in the day to discuss drafts of bill which would empower the president to furnish guns and gunners to Amer ican ships and to employ such ''other instrumentalities'' as he may think necessary and provide for bond is- sue of $1O0,000 to meet the ex- pensc.
 The fight probably will begin in the house, where the bill presented last night by Chairman Flood of the foreign affairs committee is expected to be taken up late today or to- morrow under a special rule giving it right of way over other legislation and limiting debate.
 The chief objection of the Republi- cans is to the phrase "other instru- mentalities Several of the leaders express willingness to vote for any specific authority sought by the presi- dent, but say they do net want to sign a "blank check"
 Then there are many who strongly favor directing as we'll as authorizing the arfning and protecting of ships.
 Back of all their objections, most of the Republicans want an extra session and contend that congress should not be away from Washington when the nation is on the brink of war. An other filibuster in the senate is threat ened and the Democrats fear it, al though the president is represented as fully confident that the authority he asks will be granted and that there will be no extra session.
 Official details of the sinking of the big Cunard liner Laconia, on which there were 27 Americans, are awaited here with grave interest. Some off, cisa1s were inclined to think this might prove to be the 'overt act'' to drive the United States to Possibilities Representative Floods bill intro dltced in the house was along the line of memorandum left with him and erator OMver of the senate foreign relation comnittee yesterday by Pres- 1dent Wilson and consequently en- bodies the presidents ideas of what authority should be granted by con- gross.
 Tn addition to empowering the pres fdent to arm merchant ships and to employ "otf1er instrumentalities' and providing $1O0, 0,0o0,oOO by bond issue, the, bill wo1,D6 permit the president to transfer any part of that sum to the federal bureau of war risk insurance to begin paying losses on American ships above &, 900, 900. Total payments are limited to that amount now by the size of the entire fund
 Since its estab ab1ishnent on Sept. 2. 1914, the insurance bureau has made several rate increases, the last of which was announced. three weeks ago after the German submarine blockade had been instituted, bringing insur- ance costs to per cent on vessels from American ports passing through the war zone. This rate now prevails for Destinations of Great Britain, Rot terdan1, Scandinavian countries, varf- ous porhs Of France, western Italy and the northern coast of Africa In the two years ending Sept 2. 1916. the insurance bureau paid net losses of $774,000 and made a profit of $2.- 367, GOO from premiums.