Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-04

~ /.
| Senator Cummins said lie would cx-
I pect them TO sink German submarines
on sight, providing they carry no mu-
nitionS.
Aiming them is not an act of war.
but of Defense he said. Germany
might declare war rs Il result. but we
must meet that issue"
Iarenthetically. lie said Great Brit
ain had violated all laws of nations
and interfered with our commerce
more vastly than Germany, although
not so murdcrously.''
Another proposal taken under con-
sidcration by the leaders was to force
vote for Il motion for the previous
question. Such a move would he un-
precedentcd in Senate procedure but
tonight there were conservative SEN
ators who declared that in this case
the end would Justify the means.
Tho House tonight was in better
condition than the Senate. where the
opposition TO the armed neutrality bill,
which President Wilson wants to deal
with the German submarine menace,
tied the legislative situation into a
hard knot.
The opposition from the Republican
side was negligible. but was pro-
nounced from Senator Stone, Democrat.
and cha irman OF the Foreign Relations
Committee. Fears were expressed to-
night that if n vote on the bill were
not secured by S o'clock tomorrow
morning It probably would fail
MAXIMUM WHICH CONGRESS
The maximum which Congress to-
night seems able to accomplish in its
remaining hours is perfection or the
following bills:
The armed neutrality bill
The House resolution for a $780,
| 000.o 900 bond issue for emergency naval
construction.
Final passage of the regular naval
bill.
1t seemed as though the following
measures must fail for lack of time:
The army bill.
Sundry civil bill.
General deficiency bill
Military Academy bill
Bill to extend powers OF the Ship
ping Board
Amendments to the Federal reserve
law to increase the gold reserve
All otneT general leElSlatiOn.
BY leaving it's work unfinished, Con-
Grcss leaves also the possibility OF an
! extra session.
MRANDEGEE OBJECTS
TO BLOCKADE OF PORTS
Senator Brandcgec. Republican. asked
If America should "sit suDinely and
allow tho ukaSc of n foreign potentate
to clear the ocean of American ship
ping and blockade our ports"
Are we Obliged TO wait for the
slaughter to he accomplished before
We defend ourselvcs?" he added Il
trust that neither Congress nor tho
American people have fallen to such
depths of degradation that they are
willing to furl the American flag and
withdraw from the high seas as the
misguided band of pacifists seem 10
wish.
There is no use TO issue moral
homly or a Salvation Army tract or to
repeat lie Sermon on the Mount TO n
nation that has gone mad and acts
through its military autocracy like Il
homicical maniac. I'm for peace but
am going to preserve the liberties of
my country"
Senator sherman presented to-day's
Z
Foreign Minister Ximmcrmann's adms-
son &C the attempted intrigue with
Janan and Mexico, in which there was
such keen interest that they were read
twice. Senators who had been in
clincd to dcnounce the celebrated XiIn-
hermann instructions rs Il forgery or
British plot showed particular in
tcrcSt.
Japan has denied receipt OF the
ovcrturcs," Senator Sutherland Rcpub-
lican, OF Utah. INTERCEPTED. II ask if
there Is any Significance TO tho fact
that our great and good friend, General
Carran2a, in our nciGhbornG friendly
republic. has not made any denial"
Senator stone asked where the dis
patches came from. and was informed
they were from the Wolf Bureau, il
German scmi"fiicial organization.
'''rhcs" dispatches" resumed Senator
Brandegce. give us fairly accurate
idea OF the relations that exist at the
present time between tho Tcutonic
powers ana this great country
Are we going TO lie down on our
backs and let this monstrous Frankcn-
stein trample over us ruthlcssly? am
not deceived by the effect of this bill
The next pasScnge or or freight ship with
American SunnerS aboard which at
tcmpts TO enter a British or neutral
port in the zone VIII be attacked by n
German submarine That means there