The Washington herald., 1917-02-25
WOULD FORCE WILSON
CONTINUED PRoM PAGE ONE.


Republican tactics II not at the revenue
bill, but at the threatened invasion Of
Constitution by the Chief Executive
There 10 said to be grave apprehension on
the Republican side that the Chief Execu-
tive will be clothed in broad and dam
gerous power and that this action n to
prevent action in that contingency.
Il don't know the purpose Of the Presi-
dent. / question whether any one does
What We will ask. or what he won't ask,
we don't know. I say in all sincerity and
solemnity that the declared reason Of the
Republican opposition is q pretext II the
fear of giving the President too much au-
thority IL the reason. why should this bill
be held up? If any request comes from
the President, II will not come for days,
and when it does come, the Republicans
will then be able to talk II to death. They
can defeat II without defeating action on
this bill.D
Senator Williams precipitated discussion
of the international situation after Sena-
tor Poindexter had contributed four hours
and half Of talk to the filibuster. He
insisted the munitions makers were be-
hind the filibuster and declared such op-
position was one Of the things that gave
to Germany "an almost indelible impress
sion" that America Is divided.
TOO Brave q Man.
Senator Borah, Of Idaho, asked him IL
he thought the President could get Con-
gressional authority to convoy or arm
merchantmen.
Il don't know" answered Senator VIII
liams.
'Is that the reason the President doesn't
ask Congress7" asked Borah.
The President is too brave a man IN
let such reason prevent him coming be-
fore Congress-" retorted Senator WILL
liams.
II believe the President could get such
:. authorlty but 1 don't believe he needs
it." commented Senator Borah.
"A thousand things from BRYAN down"
were given by Senator Williams al rea-
sons for Germany's believing America di
vided Germany has been fooled" about
American sentiment, he said Now I
want Congress and the American people
to unfool them," he declared.
senator Lodge said he would refuse to
answer anything so miserable" as Sena-
tor Williams charges of munitions makers
ordering the filibuster. 81 might mention
some Of the big contributors to the Demo-
craticaeampaign fund.- he said land also
the profits they made when somebody
told something that ought not to have
been told.''
VIII Not Oppose Authority.
Il will not oppose any authority or
any appropriation of money needed for
the defense OF the United States" he
continued. Il will support the President
to his utmost when he stands for this
country against a foreign nation,
ut Is true that American commerce in
has the guns to arm merchantmen.
What's stopping them? Not Congress.
Last year Congress appropriated $780,
600 to arm merchantmen. Congress- cana
give them the guns.
THE American Ambassador WAS de-
tanned In Germany a week after he had
been recalled. Nothing was done about
that. The wives of American consuls in
Germany have been stripped and subject
ted to acid baths. Nothing was done
about that.
IF the President acts he will have
the country and Congress behind him
as he did when he broke relations with
Germany. But when he hesitates he is
bound to have distrust"
Request for Guns Denied.
Senator Sutherland called attention to
the fact that American merchantmen
owners had asked the government for
guns and had been refused. Senator
Williams declared they were merely try
ing to dodge the cost OF arming and that
there was nothing to prevent their in
stalling cannon on board their ships
Senator Lewis. of Illinois, Democratic
whip of the Senate. delivered a spirited
reply to Senator Lodges attack. "I cam
not permit the Senator from Massachu-
setts to so deceive the people of the
United States" said Senator Lewis 'He
stands before US here in the garb of the
patriot when he should be wearing the
cloak Of the political hypocrite. There
wasn't a scandal in the land against the
administration during the last campaign
that the Senator from Massachusetts
wasn't ready to help give currency to.
No one in the whole country has done
more to whip into fury the waves Of
alarm throughout the country over the
submarine situation.s g