Connecticut western news., 1917-03-01
CONGRESS SPLIT ON WILSON POWER
Republicans OppOsG Full War
 Authority.
INSIST ON EXTRA SESSION

Democrats May Rush Flood Bill Giving
 President Complete Power to Act In
 Crisis and Put responsibility For
 Blocking Sailing of American Ships
 Up to Senate Minority.
 Authority to place the United States on a basis of armed neutrality to meet the German submarine would be con- ferred on President Wilson by reSO- lutiOn introduced in the house at Washington by Chairman Flood of the foreign relations committee. The reso- lution, based on memoranda submitted by the president when he made his ad- dress to congress. would authorize the president to arm merchant ships or to make use of "such other instrumentali ties" as may be necessary to protect American lives and ships at sea. It carries an appropriation of $1OO, ,O0O,- 900 for these purposes and authorizes the president to use any part of this sum to aid the war risk insurance bu- reau ill handling risks on ships sailing for the war zone.
 
 against the bill as officially reported by the foreign relations committee was made by Senator La Toilette, with the result that it went over. The WiscOn- sin senator made it plain his move was to block action by this congress and provide for an extra session. The Op- ponents of the president are against the granting of blanket authority to him in the present situation, insisting that it is an infringement of the con- stitutional prerogative of congress to declare war
 The presidents long awaited visit to congress came Monday, when he ,ad- dressed both houses asking authority to arm American merchant ships for defensive purposes and to use any oth- CT instrumentalities or methods to pro tect American commerce at sea. He expressly disclaimed proposing war or any steps that need lead to war.
 The Presidents Address. The presidents address in full fol lows:
 Gentlemen Of the Congress-I have again asked the privilege Of addressing you be
 
 times, during which it seems to me to be my duty to keep in close touch with the houses of congress so that neither counsel LOT action shall run at cross purposes be- tween us.
 On the 3d of February I officially in- formed you of the sudden and unexpected action of the imperial German government in declaring it's intention to disregard the promises it had made to this government in April last and undertake immediate sub marine operations against all commerce. whether of belligerentS or of neutralS, that shoul seek to approach Great Britain and Ireland, the Atlantic coasts of Europe or the harbors of the eastern Mediterranean and to conduct those operations without regard to the established restrictions of iu- ternational practice, without regard to any considerations of humanity even, which might interfere with their object Tha: policy was forthwith put into practice. American Shipping Timid.
 It has now been in active exhibition for 1 nearly four weeks. Its practical results 1 are not fully disclosed. The commerce of ] other neutral nations is suffering severely, | but not perhaps very much more severely l than it was already suffering before the 1 lst of February, when the new policy of the imperial government was put into | operation.
 l We have asked the cooperation of the other neutral governments to prevent these depredations, but I fear none of them has thought it wise to join in any common course Of action. Our commerce has suffered, is suffering, rather in appre- l hension than in fact, rather because so many of our ships are timidly keeping to their home ports than because American ships have been sunk.
 1 Two American vessels have been sunk the Housatonic and the Lyman M. Law The case of the Housatonic, which was carrying foodstuffs consigned to a London l firm, was essentially like the case of the Frye in which, it will be recalled, the 1 German government admitted it's liability ] for damages, and the lives of the crew, as in the case of the Frye, were safeguarded l with reasonable care.
 l The case of the Law, which was carry | ing lemon box slaves to Palermo disclosed | a ruthlessness of method which deserves grave condemnation, but was accompanied by no circumstances which might not | have been expected at any time in con- | nection with the use of the submarine against merchantmen as the German gov ernment has used it.
 In sum, therefore, the situation we find ourselves in with regard to the actual conduct of the German submarine warfare | against commerce and it's effects upon our own ships and people is substantially the same that it was when I addressed you on Feb. 3, except for the tying up of our 1 shipping in our own ports because of the | unwillingness of our shipowners to risk | their vessels at without insurance or adequate protection and the very serious congestion of our commerce, which has eventuated, a congestion which is growing 1 rapidly more and more serious every day.
 No Overt Act Yet.
 This in itself might presently accomplish In effect what the new German submarine orders were meant to accomplish so far as We are concerned. We can only say, there fore, that the overt act which have ven tured to hope the German commanders would in fact avoid has not occurred.
 But, while this is happily true 1t must be admitted that there have been certain additional indications and expressions of purpose on the part of the German press and the German authorities which have incSeased rather than lessened the impress sion that if our ships and our people are spared it will be because of fortunate cir