The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-03-08
SENATORS KILL
ARMED SHIP BILL
WITH F|L|BUSTER
President Plans to Equip U. S.
Vessels Despite Congress.
SOLONS ISSUE MANIFESTO
Seventy-SlS Lawmakers Tell People
That They Wanted to Vote Power
TO the President, But Were Pre-
vented by Rules of the
Senate--La Toilette
Talks Bill to Death.

Washington, March 5.-Presldent
Wilson will arm American merchant
ships and take whatever other steps
he deems necessary to protect them,
even though the senate failed to pass
the armed neutrality bill giving him
specific authority, according to admin
istration leaders. The president is
confident he has the power to take
this action, and believes the vote on
the bill In the house and the general
congress is behind him.
Twelve senators, led by Senator La
Toilette and encouraged by Senator
Stone, Democratic chairman of the
foreign relations committee, In a fill
buster denounced by President VIII
sons spokesman as the most repre-
hensible in the history of any civilized
nation, defied the viii OF an over
whelming majority In congress up to
the last minute on Sunday, and de-
MED to the president law authorizing
him to arm American merchant ships
to meet the German submarine men,
ace.
Unyielding throughout 26 hours of
continuous session to appeals that
their definance of the president would
be humillating to the country; uncom-
promising In crisis described to them
as the most serious to the nation since
the Civil war, La Toilette of Wiscon-
sin and his small group of supporters
refused a majority of their colleagues
an opportunity to vote on the armed
neutrality bill.
1t died with the Slxty-fourth con-
gress Mt noon Sunday.
To fix responsibility before the
country, 76 senators, 30 Republicans
and 46 Democrats, signed manifesto
proclaiming to the world that they IA
vored passage Of this measure.
This declaration, embodied In the
record of the senate, referred to the
fact that the house on Thursday night
had passed similar bill by vote of
403 to 13, and also recited that the
senate rule permitting unlimited de-
bate gave Il small minority opportun-
lty to throttle the will of the majority.
Protest of Majority.
The text of the manifesto is as FOL.
lows:
'"The majority OF United States sen.
ators favored the passage Of the sen,
ate bill authorizing the president OF
the United States to arm American
| merchant vessels, similar bill hav
Ing already passed the house by @
vote of 403 to IL. Under the rules OF
the senate allowing unlimited debate
1t appears to be impossible to obtain
a vote previous to noon March 4, 1917
when this session of congress expires
ave desire the statement entered or
the record to establish the fact that
the senate favored the legislation ant
would pass 1t If vote could be OBJ
tanned"
Those Who Signed Manifesto.
The 70 senators who signed the
manifesto were:
Democrats Ashurst. Bankhead
Beckham, Broussard, Bryan, Cham
berlain, Chiffon, Fletcher, Hardwick
Hitchcock, Hollis, Hughes, Husting
James and Johnson Is. d., Kern
Lea, Lee, Lewis and Martin (Va.)
MARITIME IN. j., Myers. Newlands
Overman, Owen. Phelan, Plttman
?omerene, Ransdell, Reed, Robinson
Salisbury. Shafroth. Sheppard
Shields, Simmons and Smith (Ga.)
Smith (Md), Smith Is. CO, Swanson
Thomas, Thompson, Tillman Under
wood, Walsh and Williams--46.
Republlcans-Borah, Brady, Bran
degee, Catron, Clark, Colt, Curtis
Dillingham;, DUPONT, Fall, Fernald
Harding, Jones, Lodge, McCumber
Mclean, Nelson, Oliver, Page, Poln
dexter, Sherman, Smith (Mich.)
smoot Sterling, Sutherland Town
send, Wadsworth, Warren, Watson
and Weeks--30
Hours before the end senator's WHIT
fought throughout the night to breal
down the fillbuster conceived wa,
| to tnWart In roulette Nti-lnlu plhu
to occupy the center Of the leglsla
tive stage at the climax of the bite
fight.
Its execution brought the session Il
a dramatic end, with La Toilette fight
ing vaInly for O chance to deliver ;
speech on which he had worked man.
DAYS. He saw friends of the doome,
legislation inhict the death blow
which he planned.
Instead of La. Toilette. Senate
Hitchcock, leader of the majority Il
favor OF he bill, talked out the wan
ing hours of the session. Timing hi
opportunity to the minute, Senate
La Toilette entered the senate cham
Der shortly after nine O'Clock Sunda
morning, prepared to take the cente
OF the stage for the last net OF til
tragedy When the moment he ha
chosen arrived he addressed the chair
but Senator Hitchcock prevented hi
recognition.