New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-25
A Justihable Filibuster

The Tribune welcomes enthusiastically
the decision of the Republicans in the
Senate TO do everything in their power
n force an extra session of Congress-
That decision is the first sign given In
long time of virile Republican leadership
in Congress. The Republicans in the
House have a skulker for a leader. Fort
uustely, in this crisis the party can look
20 its representatives in the Senate for
courage and foresight.
The Tribune has argued earnestly IN
favor of an extra session Of the new Con
rre,s. In its opinion, there is as much
need for an extra session now as there
was in the spring of 1915. We urged the
President TO call the two houses together
after the Lusitania was sunk. Unhapplly,
VIC were almost alone In pressing that
sound advice on him. He was unwilling
10 take it, and it is clear now that his re-
fussl to allow Congress to meet and act
WAS the gravest error of his whole Ger
man policy. 1t led Germany to draw the
almost unavoidable inference that the
President was unwilling to back up words
with force, since Congress was the only
body able to supply him with the force
with which to make good his threat to
hold Germany to "strict accountability
for her murderous attacks on American
citizens.
From Mr.. Wilson's neglect to prepare
seriously to defend American rights
starting from the morrow Of the Lusi-
tsnia massacre-all the humiliations of
cur ineffective diplomatic wresthngs with
Germany have flowed. Germany has
treated as with contempt because in the
estimation of her rulers our military
power is negligible. They still believe 1t
negligible las it isl, and it must remain
As il is for another nine months unless
the new Congress convenes and takes up
earnestly and intelligently the work OF
reforming cur military system.
The Republican leaders in the Senate
ere therefore right in exercising whatever
power they have to force the calling TO-
cetber of the new Congress. They are
justified in conducting a filibuster. They
/ do not trust Mr.. Wilson's intentions. They
have reason to think that he has 1t IN
mind TO repeat his costly blunder Of two
years ago-holding the decision in his own
hands, trusting to good luck to avoid war
and making no proper preparations for
conducting war, if war comes in spite Of
his maneuvres to avoid 1t.
The Republicans in Congress would be
false to their duty and blind to the les
sons of experience if they should permit
this Congress to make vague, deathbed
grant Of authority to the President to
conduct a near-war, or some form Of pa
.ific reprisal, with Germany. If we are
going to have war (and Germany and
Austria-Hungary have already in effect
declared war on us), Congress ought to
feel assured that it will have hand IN
conducting that war and an opportunity
to mass absolutely essential military legis-
Iation, to whose passage the Administra-
ton still shows an obstinate indifference.
Having been unable so far to secure
pledge from the President that he will
summon the two houses in session after
March 4, the Republicans in Congress are
within their rights in carrying on cam
paign of obstruction which will make the
Ealing of an extra session inevitable. No
chances should be taken in matter Of
such serious national Importance. The
new Congress is entitled to an opportunity
TO retrieve the miserable failures OF the
present one. That ought to be the Repub-
lican ultimatum. The President has al
ready yielded, SO far as an extra session
If the Senate is concerned If the Sen
ate minority holds firm, he will doubtless
oe brought to sec the necessity of yielding
all along the line.