The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1917-03-08
ARMED NEUTRALITY
BLOCKED
II Senators Prevent 76 From
Passing Presidents
Measure.

RAISING FreSlQenL
Measure.
Washington, ID. c., March A.
Eleven Senators led by Senator
LaFollette, radical Republican of
Wisconsin, succeeded in prevent
ing the passage of the so-called
armed neutrality bill by maintain
ing a filibuster up to the very
moment that the session of the
Senate expired by constitutional
limitation.
Although these obstructionists
were able to force their will upon
the higher branch of Congress,
they were not able to prevent
nine-tenths Of the Senator mem
bership--76, to be cxact--from
reading into the record a mani
festo that bespoke the sentiment
of the majority Of the Senate for
the resident taking vigorous
measures to combat the German
submarine menace.
The text of the manifesto fol-
lows:
The majority of the United
States Senators favored the pas
sage of the Senate bill authorizing
the President OF the United States
to arm American merchant vessels,
a similar bill having already pass
ed the House by a vote Of 4O3 to
13. .>
Under the rules of the Senate,
allowing unlimited debate, it ap-
pears to be impossible to obtain
Il vote previous to noon March 4,
1917, when this session of Con-
grcsS expires.
We desire the statement entered
on the record to establish the fact
that the Senate favored the legis-
lation and would pass it if IA vote
could be obtained.
The men who stubhornly oppos-
cd giving the President the au-
thority he requested were:
Senator Lafollcttc of Wiscon-
sin, Norris of Nebraska, Cummins
Of Iowa, Gronna of North Dako-
ia, Clapp of Minnesota, Works of
California, Penrosc of Pcnnsyl-
vania. Republicans; and O'Gor
man of New York, Kirby of Ar
kansas. Lane of Oregon and Var
Ilaman of Mississippi, Democrats.
Senator Jones of Washington
(Rcp.\ signed the manifesto con-
iltional on the adoption of the
offered by Senator
Stone of Missouri, which would
have prohibited the President
form arming or conveying ships
munitions of war.
Senator Stone was announced
IS one of those who had not been
given the opportunity to sign the
manifesto, although he sat silent
" in the Senate when this state
nent was made. Senator Reed
vas one of the signers, although
,c, too, indicated in a speech dur
ng the night his approval of the
Stone amendment.
Throughout the night replete
With angry intcrchanges, Senator
Hitchcock of Nebraska, who was
II control of the bill for the adj
ninistration, made repeated ef-
'orts to bring it to IA vote without
wall. He insisted at 3 O'Clock
his morning that nine-tenths OF
he Senators were then ready to
,nte- on the. measure, hut Senator !
Ilapp, whose term expired just
line hours later, rose to question
# personal privilege and express
d Indignation over what he said
vas an attempt to put response
'ility for delay on certain Sena-
ors who had been waiting for 20
ours for chance to be heard,
1.-The Senate wants to take
ote now," said Senator Hitch
ock, land dozen men insisted
II objecting.' /
Senator LaFollette, who had .
cen staggering around the cham I
er, said: "Yes, they want to ;
peak
Senator Hitchcock then an {
that he wanted to intro
uce a document as proof that the s
enate was ready to take a vote.
Senator Martin, after the names I
ad been read, said he had signed
ne manifesto, but that he had in s
,nded to vote for the Stone &
Senator Jones said
e had also signed with the same I
H. ,,,oC onpo xouf1u