The sun., 1917-03-06
United States Has the Right
to Convoy Merchant
men. Is Claim.
SENATE RULES FIGHT
IS LEFT TO MEMBERS
Navy Department Opposes
New Plan for Stra-
tegical Reasons.

----------------
WASHINGTON, March 6.--President
Wilson. engrossed for the moment In
the ceremonies OF his Inauguration,
did not abandon hope to-day Of flnd.
| ing way Of meeting the German sub.
marine situation without awaiting
action by Congress.
He referred the question Of au.
thority to arm merchant ships for de-
fensive purposes to Attorney General
Gregory and Secretary Lansing, and
probably It will be decided in time for
consideration at to-morrow's Cabinet
meeting-the frst to be held in the
new Administration. A determination
to arm the merchantmen, il q legal
way to do so can be found, was gen.
orally apparent in Administration CTR
cles to-day.
Senate Must Change Rules.
The President has placed squarely be-
fore the Senate the responsibility for
! changing its rules during the special
session begun to-day so that filibuster-
ing by small group Of Senators cannot
, prevent action by Congress. In the
meantime he is preparing to take such
steps as he can to meet the crisis and
| defend American rights. In his in.
augural address to-day he declared, 1--WE
stand firm in armed neutrality" and
| added:
We may even be drawn on by cir.
! CumStancpS hyy
desire. TO more active assertion Of
our rights as we see them and a more
immediate association with the great
! struggle itself"
| While the arming OF merchantmen In
the step most considered. it Is pointed
out that the President has the right to
! convoy American vessels. This course
! mas been opposed by the Navy DEPART
| ment, however. principally for strate-
gical reasons Another step suggested is
| that the shipping board take over Ameri-
| can merchantmen. arm them AS naval
auXiliaries and send them abroad.
In his statement issued last night
President Wilson expressed doubt as 70
whether under his constitutional powers
he could arm tho ships effectively with
out violating the long forgotten statute
OF 1919, which forbids attacks upon u
public vessel within which category
the German submarine falls. But this
doubt does not amount to conviction,
and there Is still a possibility that the
President, II the opinion OF the Attor-
ney-General should be favorable, Will
take the situation entirely into his own
hands.
| Fear Fight <aainst CIoture,
| Administration leaders are far from
| confident that the Senate will amend its
rules 70 provide for cloturc, thus paving
the way for the passage Of an armed
| neutrality bill at a special session Of
| Congress. Even II this can he accom-
plished It Is probable that so much time
will be lost that the proposed remedy
! will be OF little advantage TO American
| shipping.
The Senate must first modify its rules.
special session must he called and the
| House organized before tho legislative
process necessary for the enactment OF
the armed neutrality bill can he taken
up anew. Rather than rely upon this
| tedious method II IL obviously the pur-
! pose OF the President to make certain
that none more direct Is open to him.
| Senators who have made a study o,
| the case are divided on the question OF
| executive authority. Among those who
! hold tina, the President has ample power
| without the formal sanction of Congress
| 20 arm merchant sh,ps Is senator
! sutherland Of Utah. one OF the best
| known constitutional, lawyers OF the
! Senate, The same view was held by
| Senator Walsh OF Montana OF tho
! members OF Congress Who are in IA posi-
| tion 20 speak with moro or less au-
| thorty probably majority would take
the same position.
| Congress Backs President.
II this he tho correct case the enact.
| ment OF the armed neutrality bill b.
| Cougres, would be only "A tormalty BY
| which Congress could register its ap-
! proval OF such a course. I;ut the over
| whelming vote In favor of tho bill In the
| House and the manifesto disclosing tha
a similar majority existed in the Sen
ate has already made It clear before
| the world. however unfortunate the i'm
| preston created by the hlIbuster might
| have been, that the legislative branch
| OF the Government f. behind the Execu.
| tive
| The Attorney General and Counsellor
| Polk have taken up the question II is
| not unlikely that upon the conclusions
| they reach the action OF the United
| States Government Will depend and that
| their views, together with Secretary
| Lansing's. will bc laid before the Presi-
! dent without delay.
| Another name was added to-day to the
| list OF Senators who signed manifesto
| In the closing hours OF the session de-
| cIaring they favored the armed neu-
trality bill and would have voted for II
| II given the opportunity. Senator Lin
pitt of Rhode Island telegraphed to Sen.
stor Weeks asking that his name be \