The Washington times., 1917-02-27
BROAD POWER FOR.
WILSON IN MEASURE
Partisan Lines Forgotten in
Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
CONTINUED from First Page.J


Committee reported.
After a three-hour session the
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
reached no agreement today on the
Flood bill authorizing the President
to maintain an attitude of armed neu-
trality, and Chairman Flood left for
the White House to lay the situation
before the President and submit GER
tain amendments to the bill.
These amendments would circum-
scribe the powers of the President In
arming ships and have, it is under
stood, the backing of all Republican
members of the committee and two or
three Democrats.
Bill Is Modified.
Two amendments materially modify
the administration bill as introduced
and pending before the Foreign Az
fairs Committee. One, offered by
CONGRESSMAN Miller, Republican. of
Minnesota, strikes out the words
"such other instrumentalities and
methods" =
The Republicans claim these words
give the President unlimited author
itS to use the armed forces and the
credit of the United States.
The other important amendment
pending is one providing that this
Government shall not protect mer-
chantmen which carry contraband of
war as defined by the United States,
or which carry csrgoes composed in
whole or in part of arms and am
munition.
This amendment was offered in sew
eraI forms by Congressman Porter,
Republican, of Pennsylvania, who was
aided in the preparation by Congress
man Shackleford, a Democratic mem
ber of the committee.
should Not Protect.
1--WE have no objection" said Mr..
Porter, ito the protection of American
ships carrying cargoes that are not
contraband. But II the European ma
tions want arms and ammunition we
should not protect such cargoes. /
would not stop the sale of munitions,
but let England and France send their
own ships after them"
Augustus P. Gardner of Massachu-
setts, Republican, announced he will
Immediately recommend that direct
ed" be substituted for authorized"
in the Flood resolution giving the
President power to arm merchant
ships.
This would make 1t mandatory that
the President arm vessels.
The meeting of the Foreign Affairs
Committee developed a great diversity
of opinion and administration member
on the committee were unable to force
a vote reporting out the Flood bill
8, as intrduced last night and prepared
from a memorandum furnished by the
White House.
In view of this situation Chairman
Flood said he would go to see the
President, submit the amendments
offered, and reassembIe the foreign
Affairs Committee at o'clock this
afternoon.
To Be Modified.
The fact that there is some Dem
d ocratic opposition in the committee
to the Flood bill as drawn compli-
Gates the situation and practically
makes il imperative that the bill
shall be so modified as to gain sur
ficient support to put il through the
committee and the House.
As soon as the Flood bill was intro
duced Republican sentiment against
any legislation of indefinite sort be-
gan to crystallize. Almost without ex-
ception the House Republicans seem
ed determined to insist that the au-
thority conferred upon the President
should be fully set out and not car
ried in ambiguous language.
There was from the outset opposition
TO employing words that might be
construed as authorizing the Presi-
dent to use the armed forces of the
country in such a manner as would
60 rrfrNU Fn, Of
war or bring on a declaration OF war.
As introduced by Chairman Flood.
who held numerous conferences with
House leaders, and who talked also
with Secretary McAdoo and Postmas-
ter General Burleson. the Administra-
tion bill read:
"A bill authorizing the President OF
the United States to supply merchant
ships. the, property of the citizens of
the United States. and bearing Amer
ican registry, with defensive arms.
and for other purposes.
Power To Arm Ships.
BE it enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives Of the United
States Of America. in Congress assem-
bIed. that the President OF the United
States be and he is hereby authorized
ships, the property of citizens of the
United States, and bearing American
registry, with defensive arms should
IL in his judgment become necessary
for him to do so, and also with the
necessary ammunition and means of
making use of them in defense
against unlawful attack: and that he
be ana is hereby authorized and en-
powered to employ such other instru-
mentalities and methods as may in his
Judgment and discretion seem neces,
saTy and adequate to protect such
ships and the citizens of the United
States in their lawful and peaceful
pursuits on the hiEh seas.
The sum of 100000, 900 is hereby
appropriated out of any moneys
in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated to be expended by the
President OF the United States for the
purposes herein stated. the said sum
to be available until the first day of
January, 1918: and the President is
authorized to transfer so much there
of as he may deem necessary to the
Bureau of War Risk Insurance. crea-
TAI -wF-NFr-NJ rUraHEc