Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-08
FAVOR Armed Ships,
but BdIk at Gags


'""'"'"t" 'r"" rage Ose
down the rules Of the Senate" said sher-
man.
That is no concern Of mine. but do
object TO few Senators being made the |
OBJECT OF the Presidents wrath In an unfair
statement to the public Every one knows I
mat u the President had come here in time
mere would have been no such condition"
tic recounted all the submarine outragas
since the sinking of the Lusitania and at
tackled the Presidents inactivity in the face
of them.
y wish TO remind the President svhen
he seeks To blame the Senate that during a
large part Of the time he has actually ridi- /
culed the idea Of prepar redness. both in the /
army and in the navy" he said
In n message to Congress he dismissed !
the suggestion Of an increase in the navy !
with the statement that naval warfare was |
50 changeable that if the United states /
entered into costly program it might be- |
come worthless before the ships left the .
stays.
AT Indianapolis he said that other ma
tiOns had right to spill as much blood /
as they pleased, and that it was no com
"ern Of ours. The sinking of the l.usitania (
and the murder uf American citizens aboard
shocked no sensbitirs within him: 1t
| brought forth no proclamation. or special
session, or no attack on the senate rules
Nothing was done"
BALkS AT "FtlL POWER"
senator sherman declared that under the
! Presidents bill he would have authority
! to furnish q naval convoy to American
munitions ships hound 10 the Allies
THAT right exercised is an act Of war"
| said the speaker 81 shall vote for the bill.
| hut | want no one To be deluded regarding
| the responsibilities which II entails AM
when | say that ! shall vote for this hin
| ! want to say that ! will vote for war II
/ that must come IN order to preserve our
/ rights and our honor
| This war began out of q thousand years
| Of ieaIousies and conflicting ambitions of
! crowned kings deriving their authority from
| their ancestors II did NOT grow out uf
conflict between autocracy and democ-
raCy."
| NORRIS DEFENDS HIMSELF
! Senator Norris one of the little group
| of wilful men" declared that the armed
neutrality bill could be passed in three days
If the President would call an extra session
at once.
II am making no apology Tor my action
| ne said III had thought il was necessary
, to fiibuster to kill the bill | would not have
hestated To do it. But It was not necessary
| To flibuster. 1t was killed 10y legitimate
7 debate.
But those opposed 10 the bill have been
denounced by the President Of the United
states. believe without reason. What
the President said and what those who
favored the bin said has been told to the
country. What those who opposed 1t said
has never been told The real issue has
never been told.
"Nuw the President SAYS he will mot call
AN extra session until the Senate rules;
are amended. because the same means en-
ployed against the measure during the last
session may again he used 20 xiii IT, The
President is wrong When he looks int"
the question he will see he is wrong
Some day, perhaps not in our time stu
dents of history will discover that the Pres
dent did a great wrong to the men who
We're "onscientiousiy doing what they con-
sidered their duty.
Il have always favored closure. I stood
for it when the President was silent. /
congratulated the President in getting
right--in coming over to- the ground | have
occupied. The rules are going to be
changed. believe, thanks to his great in
| huence."
STONE IN LINE
Senator Stone. chairman of the Foreign
| Relations Committee. taking part in the
closure fight for the first time declared
! himself heartily in favor Of the measure.
but expressed the belief 1t would not he
effective.
II wish To say" he said, that | am en-
tirely in sympathy with the rule although
in form it may not be as | would have
written il.
~ doubt whether It will he as effective
as it should he. shall vote for it as il
? has been presented but i cannot escape
? the conviction that except for the particular
| purpose for which it Is designed: that is
, | the passage of the so-Caled armed neu'
2 ! tsality bill, II win prove quite ineffective
- | | am for il, nevertheless. even though Il
a | may he used to bring about the passage
= | Of u measure with which | am not II
| sympathy. We ought to have n rule which
r would enable the Senate to do business a
o | any time on any important measure
= Senator Cummns. Republican, anothe
, member Of the group of "willful men, dc
n Tended his opposition to the President
n armed neutrality bill
2 CUMMINS MAKES EXCUSE
II The bill. said Cummins, will he know
in the future as the bill empowering tn
Ii President to declare and make war at hi
e own pleasure
o He said he desired to he heard If he cou
u do so without being burned in effgy o
classed as filibuster' Discussing tn
y closure resolution Cummins said he wa
a for il very earnestly.
II 81 am not for it, however" he added
because OF the unprecedented and un
e called for outburst from the White House
| am for it because that | believe that tn
"a Senate was about to say majority q
d the Senate--should be able to do business
" | do nor want it understood here or else
a. where that | am recent convert 10 tn
a doctrine that the Senate should be ahl
a. to control itself. I have been for "A closur
a rule for eight years"
10 Cummins declared that Senators cIssse
by President Wilson as "wlllful men con
sumed less than eleven hours in debate o