The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-09
WAY FOR ACTION BY
CONGRESS- NOW CLEARED

Washington. March S-The way for
an extraordinary session of congress
to vest President Wilson with full and
complete authority to arm American
ships and protect American rights at
sea tonight lay clear and open. Cast
ing aside the traditions OF more than
a century. the senate of the United
states by an overwhelming vote.
amended its rules TO provide for
limitation on debate that would pre-
vent any tilibuster ny little group
of wilful" men. such as the maneu-
Yer wh,eh prevented the enactment OF
the presidents armed neutrality reso-
lutlon duriDZ the closing days of the
last congress In his recent statement
attacking the senators who blocked
The armed ships measure. the presi-
dent de- Jared that the unlimited de-
hate ruIy Of The senate was the rea.
son which would make an. extraordt-
nary session of tho sixty-fifth con-
',rcSs to consider the bill, futile To.
nieai }hat reason no longer existed
Eut Three Hold Ont
y few hlIef hours of debate over.
tnrCW the fime-hoporeJ privilege Of
unlimited debate~-a privilege which
had survived almost Constan. attack
since the carly days OF the vepublic
Confronted With the presidents de.
mand that the way be cleared for ac-
tIon that would enable him 20 aaeet
the greatest national emergency the
country ever knew. seventys'x scna-
tors voted for a rule which will GLOW
two-thfds of the senate 10 limit de.
bate on any peUdtng prorros7si. Httf
three senators, La Toilette. OF Wis.
conSIn; Cronna, of North Dakota. and
sherman. of illinois, all Republicans.
voted against the rule Ser@tCrs La
Toilette and Gronna were two of the
eleven senators denounced by the
president as the little group ne VIII
ful mcn representing no opinion hut
their own vino have rendered Il &
great government Of the United States
helpless ANA contempt5hlc, through
their gtiht on tho trtlcd neutr;tltr Liit
senator sherman, who fav ~ the
armed neutrality measure, ,otcsl
against ciotHrc on tli" merits ~ the
rule
The seventy, six.
Tho sev"nty-s.N senator's wac r,tcd
for the cloiure rule were:
tshurSt, Beckham. Brady. lr: de-
gee, Eroussard, Calder. Chamberlair,
colt, cnmmins. Curtis, Fail. Y ance,
Frelinghuysen, Gerry, Hale. Ha~,iing,
Hardwiek, Hitchcock. Hobs Ha~he.s.
HuSting James. Jones, of New Me.-
leo; Jones. Of Washiuston: keli ,ess.
kendrick. Kenyon. King, Kirby kuox,
Lane. Lewis. Lodge. McCumbcr. Me-
kcliar, Mclean. AartiF4s Myees, Scl-
sou. New Newlanls. Norris. Nver-s
man, owen, Page f'enroSP. PittGiats,
poinleNter, pomerene Ransd.li, atcsl.
Robinson. SALISBURY Slatroth. snep-
pard. Shields simmons, Smits If
Georgia smith Of Maryland; Smith.
of South Carolina, Smoo,, sterling,
stone Sutherland swanson Thomas.
Thompson, Townsend Trammell tn
derwood. Nardaman Wadsw,,rtii.
Warren. Watson Williams atl VEL
colt.
White House Grs:f'h.,'
There was profound aratiaratioa at
the White House when the result OF
the. senate vote became known liz
was stated that the senate ACTON.
coupleQ with the vote OF TIE last
house on the armed nolitratfsy ifsf.&
demonstrates that the country and
the congress are behind the president
in his determination to arm AnscrieAn
merchant ships and protect AmertcAHs
lives at sea. It was recognized <hae