The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-03
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AR|aNc Of VESSELS
AWAITING CONGRESS-
Senate Adjourns After the
Eight-Hour Debate on
Armed Neutrality.
HAVEN'T VOTED YET
Little Opposition Is Expect
ed, However-Senators !
Air Opinions.
Continued From Page One.y
HAVEN'T VOTED YET
CONTINUED From Page one.y

Continued FROM Pare One.y
NO: he has no authority to arm
merchantmen"
The bill was analysed in detail by
Senator Lodge. The words admitting
defensive arms fore and aft" were
put in the bill at his suggestion. He
said he understood his suggestion was
regarded rather as a limitation than
an extension Of the power granted,
adding:
Il would be the last to limit that
power"
He then expressed the opinion that
the house bill gives the president even
broader power than the senate meas
ure.
Senator Lodge said no opposed any
language in the bill restricting the
: power to BIO given the president that
he should not commit an act OF war.
viii Ask Congress First.
Il feel very sure."he continued, that
when the president is ready to make
war he would call congress in session
and would not commit an act of war
without the authority of the only con-
stitutional body that can declare it. I
feel that if we are not prepared to
trust the president with the powers
he has asked, we have no right to
give him anything at ALL"
Putting officers or men Of the navy
on board a merchant ship. Mr. Lodge
said. would change such q ship into a
merchant auxiliary vessel Of war.
lnterrupting to suggest that the
language of the Stone amendment
would be moro Of q protection than
an embarrassment to the president,
Senator O'Gor7nan asked whether THE
act Of war before congress declares
war;"
Il do not think, but it has been
DONE" said Senator Lodge.
DO you think it will be done in this
instance?" continued Senator OGor-
man.
Il certainly do not" said Senator
Lodge
In a colluquy with Senator Cummins,
Senator Lodge said he expected any
armed merchant vessel would use it's
guns If German submarine were
sighted and he would ''be sorry if she
did not use Them"
Sinking on Sight.
Il am in favor of sinking these sub
marines on sight," replied Senator
Cummins, but there Is no use in clos
ing our eyes to the patent fact that
II we send out ships and intend that
they attack submarines when sight
ed, we are committing an act of war"
Senator Lodge said he differed from
that view. He declared that every
merchant ship has the right to defend
itself and that when the periscope Of
German submarine appears in the
vicinity Of merchantmen, it is the
first signal for an attack"
He agreed with a suggestion by
Senator Williams that in such a sit
uation the act of war would rather be
on the part of the submarine.
Replying to Senator Reed, Mr..
Lodge said that a merchantmen would
be Justified in sinking any submarine
on sight. whether German, British or
French. if they had been sinking ves-
sells without warning by direction of
their government.
Self Defense.
Then II we arm our vessels, they
will be expected to shoot at subma-
rines upon seeing a periscope?" asked
Senator Reed.
That Is my understanding" Mr..
Lodge answered. insisting that it
would not be an act of war. but of
self defense.
What If the merchant vessel
missed and Is sunk by the subma-
rine?" persisted Senator Reed.
Senator Lodge thought that would
not be an act of war
Declaring it means war If armed
merchant vessels pursue a shoot on
sight policy towards German subma-
rines. Senator Reed asked whether it
wouldn't be more business like to
take our fighting ships and go out
hunting submarines"
Act OF War.
: Senator Husting interjected that the
methods proposed in the bill leave to
Germany whether she will commit the
act that leads to war" And Senator
Walsh reminded Senator Reed that
all the power given the president is
for defense, not attack"
1.-The bill gives him no power to
roam the seas hunting German sub
Marines" said Senator Walsh.
Senator Reed insisted that, while he
intended to vote for the bill, senators
should not shut their, eyes to the fact
that the final result of it probably is
war;"
Firing by a merchant vessel upon
n German submarine will amount to
the same thing as If fired from a
United States man of war" he said.
I'VE are practically saying that an at
tack will be replied to from the threats
Of the United States naval guns"