The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-09

the president can now move at once
10 pat naval guns and gunners aboard
merchant sh.ps II he decides he has
8 ting necessary authority, or that he
can call an early extraordinary ses-
sion of congress with the assurance
that any authorization he may need
will be promptly forthcoming The
senate was confronted with de-
Inand for an extra session just as
soon as the cioture r1Iic was adopted.
senator Mclean, OF Connecticut Re-
publican, introduced resolution re-
questing the president TO call the con
xress to meet on March 20 y reso-
luton declaring thu sense OK the sem
ate that the president has full ana
complete authority to protect Ameri-
can commerce at sea was likewise In
reduced, It was presented by Sen
ator Lewis. OF Illinois, Democratic
whip. ana 1t would base the presi-
dents power 10 protect foreign COM
naerce on the same constitutional
grounds which support his power 10
protect interstate commerce. No aC-
ton was taken on either Of these reso-
buttons hut The authors OF both NJ
them said they proposed to press
for their consideration.
Work of Ciotnrc Rule.
The cIotUYo rule. as adopted. would
rrovide for the submkssiou Of mo-
t}ou ia iNHi{ debate on any pending
measure, hy sixteen senators. This
motion. II adopted by two-thirds
vote. would thereafter limit each sena-
tor "a one hour Of discussion. II every
senator exercised MS fun privilege
under tho rule. the debate would then
continue niuctE-siX hours. but at the
end Of that time a vote would h"
forced
The days debate on the rule was
anything but sensational Not a sin
Gle speech was made In support Of the
measure and the entire time was coz
Sumed by those who were either op-
posed 10 tho rule or who were opposed
20 the neutrality bill senator La Fol
Ietfe who led the tlituSter against the
measure IN the last congress vigorous
Il denounced the administration for its
domination of congress and declared
hs+ an iron hand" had "throttled the
pove~ which the constitution gave 10
congress as co-equal branch OF the
government lie likewise denounced
ths manner in which the admintstra-
ton had handled the national defense
program. asserting that the defense
bills had been withheld until the clos
fHe dsVs If the last congress in orde
to prevent thorough discussion Of rev
plutjouary' proposals which they car
ried La Faiiotte reviewed at some
length various old arguments against
any cloture rule in the senate
Senator sherman likewise attacked
the president. declaring that the White
House statement attacking the flibgF-
ter was unfair" He said that II the
president had taken his demand for
authority TO congress In time the fli
buster could not have been success
full. The president. he said. had seized
upon the internati0n situation to
break down the rules OF the senate.
would Result in Act of War.
This bill would give the president
authority to arm or convoy ships car
rytng munitions Of war;" said Senator ,
Sherman. That authority II exercised
would result In an act OF war l shall
vote for the bill. but want no one
deiuded as to the responsibilities which
Il entails. And when l say ] viii vote
for this bill. ! want to say that l will
vote for war II that must come to pre-
serve our rights and our honor"
Senator Stone, of Missouri, erst- |
while administration leader. who sur
rendered his place in charge OF the
armed neutrality bill. in order to fght
the measure, endorsed the cloture rule.
declaring be would vote for II, even
though ha waA opposed to the bill
Which It was proposed 10 rush through
under the new rule.
Senator's Cummins and Norris. both
members OF the little group OF will
full men" endorsed the cloture pro-
posal declaring that they had been
for cioture for years. Senator Sum
minis vigorously defended his course
in opposing the armed neutrality meas
ure
This bill" he said. will be known /
in the future as the bill empowering !
the president 70 declare and make !
war at his own pleasure. am in IA 7
vor Of cloture But I am not for Il /
because Of the Unprecedented and /
oneailed for outburst from the white /
House, am for Il because believe /
the senate should he able TO do bust /
ness