The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-02-15
SLAP AT WILSON
In NAVY BILL
1t "Reaffirms Policy of
I. S. to Adjust Disputes
Through Mediation"
CALLED PACIFIST RUSE
Effect Expected to Be Obstruc-
,tiOn Of Present Plans of
Administration.
CALLED PACIFIST RUSE


ment offered by Minority Leader Mann |
and inserted in the navy bill prior to
its passage yesterday reaffirming 1t to be |
the policy Of this country to settle it's
international disputes by mediation or
arbitration appears to be have been de- !!
signed to give notice TO the President to |
keep out of war.
The effect OF the Mann amendment.
which. was inserted without debate and
with no opportunity to discuss its prob
| able effect upon the delicate international
situation now existing, took many meni-
! bers of the House by surprise to-day.
| The amendment reads:
| ut Ia hereby reafiirmed to be the pol
| icy OF the United States to adjust and
settle its international disputes through
mediation or arbitration to the end that
war may be honorably avoided"
The amendent was offered with no fur
ther explanation than that similar
statement was carried in the naval bill
| for the current year.
| Today 1t was broadly discussed as a
successful pacifist ruse, the certain effect
! of which would be, unless the Senate
strikes 1t from the bill. to obstruct the
| Presidents plan to hew strictly TO the
spirit and letter OF his previous declara-
ton in support Of American rights on the
| high seas.
A Hint to Wilson.
Coming within a few hours after the
announcement that President Wilson
would take part in no further diplomatic
| exchanges "unless- and-~antiP' the sub
marine activities Of Germany return to
the status outlined last April 1t was
proposed and by its sponsors is regarded
/ as move to bring to the Presidents no.
tice that Congress is not in accord with
his latest declaration.
Representative Mann smilinsly init
mated as much to-day. Following talk
with Majority Leader Kitchin. now
openly member Of the pacifist group
in the House, THE SUN correspondent
suggested:
Your amendment has been accepted
in certain quarters as involving instruc-
tions to the President as to his conduct
of the Governments course in the pres
ent crisis"
"well." replied Mr.. Mann. Il don't
know about instructing the President.
but it certainly tells the President that
the House wants to keep out of war"
But the President has just said that
he has nothing further to discuss with
Germany as long as her present sub
| ma rine activities continue" IL was sug-
gested.
"Oh, know that I knew it when
offered the amendment" returned Mr..
Mann, smilingly.
Tone IL Resented.
A distinct tone Of resentment crept
| into the cloakroom discussion OF the
amendment. which among supporters or
&he President was regarded as IN the ma
ture Of a Joker of far too serious a
nature to have been slipped into the bill
without warning. There Is no question
that the House is overwhelmingly
against taking any action that would
= embarrass the President at the present
I time.
Although under normal conditions an
amendment Of such nature would en-
= list the unanimous support Of the House
D membership 1t Is generally appreciated
r now that the insertion at such time
a was of far too unfortunate a nature 70
be attributed purely TO accident. The
= feeling to-day was that Mr. Mann should
Y not have put the House in the position
Of taking action on SO serious question
without first giving warning of the ma
ture OF the proposal
The amendment was put into the bill
|, while the House was reading the meas
, ure in committee OF the whole, at which
the membership is customarlly Sigh; and
| when members are concentrating theiI
attention on the merits of the various
appropriation items rather than on the
nicetles of the parliamentary language
and jockeyins.
The Mann amendment was offered al
the close OF a more or less personal con-
q troversy between Representative Fitz
4 gerald OF New York and Representative
n Foss, Illinois. over the relative cost ol
: Government and private shpyards con
n struction and after consideration OF the
"a appropriation items had closed. The
a Congressional Record gives the follow
n ing report Of the consideration given the
= amendment:
b Mr.. Mann--Mr Chairman, I offer
i an amendment.
The Chairman--The gentleman from
J. Illinois offers an amendment which the
II clerk will report
'e The clerk read as follows:
r Amendment offered by Mr. Mann:
l. On page go, after line 23. insert: ut
k, Is hereby 'reaffirmed," &c.
The Chairman-The question Is OF
a agreeing to the amendment.
,r The amendment was agreed to.
y This represents the sum total of tn
m consIderat ton given Mr.. Mann's amend
n ment yesterday.
s. Senator's were surprised when ap
It prised of the action of the House yester
% day and several who have taken a prom
l. inent part In supporting the President
'f policy with respect to the submarine con
p. troversy manifested marked resentmen
against the tactics employed In puttin
= the House on record at this time
ID Every effort will bc made to strik
% the amendment from the bill In the Son
l. ate committee, not as a reputation o
B. the frequently reafhrrned policy of thi
III Government TO settle disputes by arbi
tration whenever such a course does no
involve our national honor but as
dangerously untimely reaffirmation o
2. that policy.