The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-03-05
WILSON SEEKS
OPINION As TO
HIS POWER |||||
If He Can Arm Ships Without
Legislation There Will Be
No Extra Session
NORTH DAKOTA SENATOR
LEADS FIL1BUsTER
Talks Until Early Sunday Morn.
ing When Others Take Up
Ruse to Defeat Preparedness

Washington, March 5.-If the presl-
dent finds he has power to 60 ahead
and arm American ships he probably
will delay calling an extra session OF
Congress- On the other hand II the
government legal advisers report he
has not the necessary authority with
out special enactment. he will call
special session and will reintroluce n!s
armed neutrality measure.
CALL CAUCUS r.
Washington, March 5.--The demo-
cratic senate caucus has been cu;lel
for 10 80 tomorrow morning, ut which
one of the subjects discussed will lie
a fight for cloture rule to prevent I'll.
busters by few senators, such as
killed the armed neutrality bill.
Responsive to the presidents appeal
to the senate to change It's rules, 70
that ''little group Of wilful men,
might not continue to make tile cOur-
try helpless and contemptible"n before
the world III the submarine crisis. tue
clOture movement was initiated today
by the democratic leaders.
Thifty-three members already have
agreed to cooperate with the anti-ftlt.
buster movement w .-Esfs
GRONNA LEADS FILIBUSTER.
Senator Gronna held the nOOr an
night Saturday and until ali early hour
Sunday morning filibustering against
the armed neutrality resolution. He
spoke on the agricultural bill and to
him and Senator LaFollette Is creditel
the responsibility Of forcing what seeuis
almost irevitable--an extra session. y
For hours the North Dakota senator
talked. refusing t. yield. 80 that the
armed neutrality measure might be
called up for debate. n
Twelve senators, led by Senator
LaFollette and encouraged by Sena-
tor Stone. Democratic chairman Of
the foreign relations committee, in
filibuster. denounced by President
Wilson's spokesmen as the most rep
hehensible in the history of any civil.
lied nation, defied the will of an over.
whelming majority in congress up to
the last minute yesterday, and denied
to the president a law authorizing
him to arm the American merchant
ships to meet the German submarine
menace. Unyielding throughout 26
hours of continuous session to ap'
peal that the president would be hu.
inflated, uncompromising in the cri.
sis described to them as the most se-
rious to the nation since the Civil
war, LaFollette and his small group
of supporters refused majority OF
their colleagues an opportunity to
vote on the armed neutrality bill, and
it died with the Gath congress at
noon.
Fix Responsibility.
To fix responsibility before the coun-
try, rs senators, 80 Republicans and
46 Democrats, signed manifesto.
to the world that they "a
vored the passage of the measure.
Thirteen senators declined to sign
he declaration. but one, Senator Pen.
'ose, Republican. of Pennsylvania, an
nounced he would have voted for the
bill had opportunity been offered him.
Among the 12 was Senator Gronna of
North Dakota. W.
President Wilson last night inform.
I'd the country in statement that
le may be without power to arm mer-
chant ships and take other steps to
meet the German submarine menace
n the absence of authority from con-
,ress.
Extra Session Required.
An extra session of congress, the
president says, is required to clothe
him with authority, but 1t is useless
% call one while the senate works
lnder the present rules, which per-
nit small minority to keep an over
majority from acting.
The president proposes that the
special session which he has called to
meet today, revise the rules ito sup
ply the means of action and save the