The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-03-02
EOniy Thirteen Votes in the
House Against the Flood
Bill.
NOW BEFORE THE SENATE
Probability That There Will
Be An Extra Session
Strengthened.

WASHINGTON. D. c., March o.
Aroused by the disclosure Of Ger.
many's plot, to unite Japan and Mexico
with her in o war upon the United
States, and then convinced by Off.
ctal evidence Of its authenticity, Con.
gress yesterday abandoned the DELAYS
and distractions which have checked
President Wilson's efforts to be cloth.
ed with expert authority to deal with
the submarine menace.
The House after ten hour debate
and by an overwhelming majority.
passed bill to empower the President
TO arm merchant ships and providing
for hundred million dollar bond Is.
sue. The bill, however, does not con.
tain the grant of authority to use 10Th.
or instrumentafities' which the Presi.
dent specifically desires and would
prevent government war insurance for
munitions ships, prohibition which
the President does not approve.
When the House bill is received in
the Senate the Senate bill, which the
administration fully commends. will be
substituted. and that is expected final
ly to be adopted by both Houses as the
law. I,
official announcement was made al
the White House stlat the admins tra.
ton stands behind the Senate bin
first, last and all the. time, with its
provisions for other fnstrumentaii-
tiess,t
! In the Senate an attempt. TO ask the
President to disclose the governments
source of information OF the attempt.
ed intrigue with Mexico and japan.
on the supposition that IL came from
one OF Germany's enemies. was de-
feated after a sharp and sensational
debate. Instead, the Senate merely
asked for official notice of the anthem.
ITCHY of the dispatch OF instructions
from German Foreign Minister zim-
mermann to German Minister Won
Eckhardt in Mexico City. The Presi.
dent transmitted 1t Immediately with
the statement that 1t would not be
compatible with the public interests
TO reveal further details concerning it.
Members Of both Houses of Con.
gress, some skeptical of the anthem
ITCHY of the astounding revelation OIL
Germany's intrigue, others feeling that
1t had been permitted to become public
for it's effect in Congress and through.
out the country, met the situation with
mixed emotions which, with few pos.
sible exceptions as the days develop.
ments were unfolded, solidified into a
decision to stand behind the President.
Congressman classed with the so.
called pacifist group in the House who
have been opposing a grant of author.
ity to the President on the ground that
1t would be a step toward war, an.
nounced that they would vote for the
armed neutrality bill in the belief that
to arm the President to protect Ameri.
can rights might be the way to avoid
war.
Republican Senator who have been
filibustering against the armed neu.
trality bill, not because opposed to It,
but to force an extra session of Con.
gress declared their conviction that
the situation demanded united support
of the President.
A Congress badly divided, and, in its
dying moments, with its legislative
program at skies and sevens and charg-
es OF playing politics. flying from
every side. suddenly took on a new.
aspect.
1t was as II the cry America first"
had rung through the halls of both
Houses and the response had been al.
most instantaneous.
In the. Senate. members who have
opposed the President In his manner
of dealing with Germany, on the
ground that it was leading to war, were
found fighting influences which the
Presidents supporters declared were
calculated to embarrass him.
With the authenticity, Of the now
celebrated Zimmerman instructions
officially established to the Senate,
and the armed neutrality bill passed
by the House, today is expected to ad.
vance the situation TO the next stage
the perfection of an armed neutrality
bill acceptable to the President in all
respects. ~
The question, Of an extra session Of
Congress- still is undetermined. Pres.
ident Wilson told inquirers he did not
expect to call one. although 1t develop.
ed that Democratic whips In the House
were advising members and members.
elect TO be prepared to attend one on
March 6.
arm merchant ships but not extending
the authority he requested to fuse
Continued on page 100
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