The Washington herald., 1917-02-02
PASS DEFENSE BILL
FOLLOWING SUB def
Senate Rushes Fortihcations Bill as
Situation Becomes Grave.

In both the Senate and House yesterday
the gravity of the situation with Ger
many was reflected in action on legislation
that has direct bearing upon prepara-
tions for war, rather than in debate in
either House.
| The Senate rushed through the fortih-
cations bill, carrying s5l.0o0,0oo for coast
denfenses-the largest amount ever ap-
ipropriated in a single year-without roll
call vote.
The House adopted the revenue bill,
providing more than 3000Oo,0oo most OF
which will be spent for the preparedness
program, by a margin of 10 votes, even
/ though its terms were Objectionable to
many voting for it.
| Kitchin Asks Unity.
In the House Chairman Kitchin, OF
the Committee on Ways and Means,
! took occasion to express the hope that
in this great crisis nationalism and
not sectionalism or partisanship would
be the guiding light of the legislators.
Warning the members of the House
that this was the time to preserve
tAmericanism, Representative kitchin
said:
TT is a grave and tragic situation
that confronts this country. 1t is time
| for every man who loves his country.
whether he be Republican or Demo-
crat to forget that a sectional differ
ence ever existed in the United States
The Democratic leader spoke with
much feeling as he continued:
Let Republicans and Democrats who
are patriotic consecrate anew all their
lpatriotism, all their courage. all their
fAmericanism, all their loyalty and all
their coolness for one country, one
tunion and one flag"
Asks Support for President.
! In the Senate, Senator McCumber, Re
publican, of North Dakota, had prepared
an address for delivery yesterday on the
subject of the recent utterances Of the
President before that body. He prefaced
the prepared grafton with the statement
that Germany's proclamation OF unre-
strained undersea warfare only empha-
sizes the necessity of the Senates aiding
the President in every way possible fo-
world peace. Senator McCumber said:
| IF there has been any doubt in the
minds of the American people that we
! have a very direct concern in the affairs
of Europe, the note of a great belligerent
power ought to bring home the fact that
we are very vitally interested and that We
cannot escape the obligation as American
citizens to assert our rights
From the Democratic side of the Senate
the following brief comment
I'VE are facing a grave crisis and l
! hope that a way will be found out Of
IL"
Little Comment by Consressmen.
| Congress did not inject itself into the
| impending crisis. although the subject
was the engrossing topic in the cloak
rooms and corridors of both the House
| and Senate.
! Until President Wilson has formulated
some definite policy with regard to the
| latest note from the German government,
! 1t is doubtful whether European affairs
will feature immediate discussions in
| Congress.
| On every hand the situation was DEEM
| ed grave, but few members of the House
and Senate believed that the negotia-
| tions would eliminate in war. As the
most drastic result the recall of Ambas-
sador Gerard and the issuing OF passports
to Won Bernstorff was predicted.
Such a course is favored by many
Democrats in the House who have ad-
vocated a food embargo They asserted
| that the unrestricted resumption by Ger
many of submarine warfare would tend
| to block shipments of foodstuffs and
munitions to England and operate to
| bring about a cessation OF hostilities
across the seas.
Opposition to Warming.
On the other hand, there was gossip
OF resolution similar to that pre-
sented in the last session by Repre-
sentative McLemore, warning Ameri-
can passengers from engaging passage
on ships entering danger zones. Ad-
ministration leaders declared that a
resolution of this kind would certainly
compromise the President in his nego-
! tiations at this time. and If introduced
| it will meet with much more vigorous
opposition than that which confronted
the McLemore resolution.
| In the Senate, members discussing
the Presidents peace speech refrained
! from any comment on the latest Ger
man note. Those Senators who were
! free in their discussion of the note on
! the night of its receipt were mute on
the subject yesterday. and there was
a belief that the White House had
requested that comment on the note
be withheld until the situation had
been clarified.
Believe 1t Is Peace Move.
Senator Stone, chairman of the Foreign
Relations Committee of the Senate, will
see the President today and in his absence
Acting chairman Senator Hitchcock re-
! fused to make any comment
Many members of Congress believe that
the latest German note is a tactful move
to bring about peace. Having had its
preliminary advances rejected It was
pointed out that a resumption of the sub
marine warfare and the threatened iso-
lation of Great Britain from American
exports would do more than any other
act to hasten the end of the world war