The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1917-02-27
Foreign Relations Chairman
Flood Responds With
Resolution.
IMMEDIATE ACTION OPPOSED
Advisability of Giving Nation's
Head Unlimited Power Ques=
toned by Many on the Repnb-
Iican Side.

+,
President Wilson widest powers in
quick response to his request before
congress this afternoon, Chairman
Flood. of the foreign relations COM
mittee, introduced a resolution this
evening which will receive immediate
attention from both houses tomorrow
Not o My will it empower the pres
ident to arm merchant ships, but al
lows him to make use of "such other
instrumentalities" as may prove nee
essary to protect American lives and
ships at sea. One hundred million
dollars is appropriated for these pur-
poses and the president is authorized
to use any part of this sum to aid
war risks on ships sailing for the
war zone during chaotic conditions
That the resolution will not go
through with it's full powers is indi-
Gated, however, by the fact that both
houses forced Democratic leaders to
it and unless big concessions are
made to those of opposing views
the presidents foreign policy pro,
gram may be embarrassed by even
longer delay.
AS soon as he is empowered to act
as he sees fit, the president is expect
ed to pursue policy of armed neu-
trality,'' outlined in his address be.
fore congress which will not formal
ly declare war, but which will com
NIT defensive war acts.
Chairman Flood expressed conf
dence that the presidents suggestion
would have been enacted promptly
into law if the Democrats had desired
despite opposition developing among
Republicans who hesitate giving the
president unlimited power and who
prefer keeping congress in session 4"
Wilson's decision to go before Coz
gress was party caused by the fact
that Germany's campaign is keeping
American ships tied up in American
ports. Such condition, the pfesi.
dent points out, is unbearable.
Some of the important utterances
Of the president in his address before
congress this afternoon includes the
statements
ut would be foolish to deny that
the situation is fraught with the
gravest possibilities and dangers. No
thoughtful man can fail to see that
the necessity for definite action may
come at an y time, if we are in fact
and not in word merely, to defend our
elementary rights as neutral ma
tion. 1t would be most imprudent to
be unprepared.
"No doubt / already possess that
authority without special warrant Of
1aw, by the plain implication Of my
constitutional duties and powers but
] prefer, in the present cimcum.
stances, not to act upon general i'm
plication. ] wish to feel that the au-
thority and the power Of the congress
are behind me in whatever it may he.
come necessary for me to do. We
are jointly the servants Of the peo.
pie and must act together and in their
spirit, so far as we can define and
interpret IT,
mo one doubts what it Is our duty
to do. We must defend our commerce.
and the lives Of our people in the
midst of the present trying circum-
stances, with discretion, but with
clear and steadfast purpose. Only the
method and the extent remain to be
s'hosen, upon the occasion, if occa-
sion should indeed arise
"since it has unhappily proved i'm
possible to safeguard our neutral
rights by diplomatic means against
the unwarranted infringements they
are suffering at the hands Of Ger.
many there may be no recourse but
to armed neutrality, which we shall
know how to maintain and for which
there is abundant American prece-
dent"