Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-05


Nd by a group OF seven Republican
uve Democratic Senators.
~ hvc Senators who stand most con
pous In the successful fight against the
~ Toilette. OF Wisconsin; Norris, Of Ne.
9ka stone, OF Missouri; Clapp, Of Min
Qta and Penrose. OF Pennsylvania.
X1|Xno others I'm the group are:
II( Eummins. OF Iowa; Gronna. OF North
3 xl1kota; Kenyon. of Iowa Works, OF CALI
<1fhia Kirby, OF Arkansas Lane, of Ore
D fxon; O'Gorman, OF New York. and Varda-
uh4n. OF Mississippi
,3&. This handful of men, taking advantage
~ the rule for unlimited debate in the Sem
*U{o. literally talked the measure 10 death,
#1HDits the fact that the overwhelnlng ma
@I<y Of the Senate members favored It.
# Following the defeat OF the bill, Presi-
49nt Wilson issued proclamation to the
. &ountry In which he denounced the fill
9uster group as having rendered the United
Rates helpless and contemplate" before
tne world and urgently intimated the neces-
s atty for amendment of the Senate rules, 80
4 that similar scandal may not be repeated
a Despite the statement in his armed neu.
,W4Iity address to Congress that he probably
a 40 the power to arm American ships for
Vtxense without special authorization of
CQngress. President Wilson himself has
5aiDed doubt on the matter. He has called
mto conference Attorney General Gregory
ana secretary of State Lansing TO obtain
<LeiF opinion on the situation.
This afternoon the Secretary and Attorney
Oeneral will examine the entire list Of stat
0tes bearing on the situation and will Ike
f.nnl decision for the benefit Of the prcsi-
4ent In this work they are TO have the
assistance of the most eminent authorities
on international law in this country. Should
4 finally be decided that the President has
the authority to act. IL Is stated IN au-
thority that orders Immediately will be is
sued to arm the passenger and mail-carry-
Ing liners of the American line so that they
can resume regular sailings.
In the meantime. while waiting for de-
cision on the question Of actual armng
ef ships, President Wilson, in his inaugural
address today. has proclaimed TO the world
that 1--WE stand firm IN armed neutrality"
SPECIAL SESSION LIKELY
The Inference to De drawn from the
Presidents statement to the country was
rules he will convene Congress in special
.Session.
Following the Presidents statement:
Senator Owen, of Oklahoma, announced
that a group of tnirty-three of his dsso-
eiates had pledged themselves TO insti-
tute movement today 70 revise the
rules in accordance with the Presidents
wishes.
When Congress adjourned at noon yester-
day. many Of the Presidents friends were
oonvinced that ne would show the Senate
And the country that the refusal Of the
Senate to sanction the armed-ship measure
would not deter him from taking his own
means to protect merchant vessels flying
the American flag.
When the President realized. that an
Hncient statute may tie his hands In
the desire to arm merchantmen has not
been ascertained. on last Friday Senator
Lodge had pointed out In the debate In the
Senate that the President while he had
authority to arm merchant vessels. ne
could not permit them to use these arms
against vessels Of a nation with which the
United States was at amity
Apparently, however, little IL any atten-