The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-03-08
PRESIDENT WILSON IS Denied
AUTHORITY TO ACT BY SENATE.
Measure To Arm Ships Is Killed In Flibuster Lead By
La Toilette, DeHng MaOriys Action
FRIENDS OF DOOMED BILL SIGN MANIFESTO
Proclaim To World That They Supported Measure and As
Patriots Put Faith In Presdent-ACiO Is Denounced
Most "ReprehenSVe' In COuntrys History

( Maine, and Smith, of Arizona, Demo
Gratis, were absent from the city. Sen
ator Culberson, Democrat, did not
reach the Senate in time to be re-
corded.
Brought To Dramatic End.
Hours before the end Senators who
fought 10 break down the filibuster
conceived way to thwart LaFollette's
well-laid plans to occupy the center
of the legislative stage at the climax
of the bitter fight. It's execution
brought the session to a dramatic end
with LaFollette fighting vainly for a
chance to deliver speech on which
he had worked many days. He saw
friends of the doomed legislation inflict
the death blow which he planned.
Instead of LaFollette, Senator
Hitchcock, leader of the majority in
favor of the bill, talked out the waning
hours of the session. Timing his op-
portunity to the minute, Senator La
Toilette entered the Senate chamber
shortly after 9 o'clock Sunday morn
ing prepared to take the center of the
stage for the last act of the tragedy.
When the moment he had chosen AL.
rived he addressed the Chair, but SEN
ator Hitchcock prevented his recogni-
tion.
The forensic struggle which ensued
seldom, If ever, had been eQualed in
the history of the Senate. Voices were
strained to shrieking; threatening fists
were shaken at the presiding officer,
while the crowded floor and galleries
looked on breathlessly. But the Incl
dent soon passed without violence
The Chair recognized Senator Hitch
cock and LaFollette's opportunity was
snatched away.
The closing moments of the session
were tense and impressive. Ten min
utes before the end Senator Hitchcock
had made his last appeal for unan-
imous consent for vote on the bill.
LaFollette objected. The Nebraska
Senator, prefacing his closing remarks
with a portion of President Wilson's
address to Congress asking for the au-
thority about to be denied, solemnly
said:
1T is unfortunate and deplorable
that - men in the Senate of the Uni
ted States have it in their power to
defeat the will Of rs or so members
by one of the most reprehensibie fli-
busters ever recorded in the history of
GIy civilized country" Senator Hitch
cock paused while his words echoed
through the chamber. LaFollette stol.
idly glared toward the Nebraskan, who
presently added that perhaps he should
apologize for the violence Of his words.
"You are perfectly safe" LaFollette
returned without rising from his chair.
mo one can answer you"
No one did, for the hour of noon had
struck and the Sixty-fourth Congress
was ended.
Before the manifesto was presented
many Democratic and Republican lead
ers worked increasingly to prevent in.
evitable defeat OF the bill. Senators
Simmons, Pomerene, Hughes, Hard
wick and other Democrats joined with
Republican Senators Lodge, Borah,
Brandeges, Sutherland, Smoot and
others to reach compromise with
Chairman Stone, of the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee, and the Progressive
Republican group.