Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-02-27
Great Opposition on the
Part of Many Republicans
and s o m 9 Democrats
Likely to Be Overcome
Before Adjournment.
FIRST STEP TO BE
TAKEN BY SENATE
Believed the House Will
Await Action by the Up
per Body - Presidents
Position Strengthened by
Sinking of Laconia.

Washington, Feb. 27.-As congress
met today for what is expected to be
one of the most historic and mo-
mentous closing sessions in its his
tory, it was believed certain the legs
lative branch of the government will
ultimately uphold President Wilson's
J hands-in modified form.
! There are only five days naming
for this present congress to give the
president the powers he asked yester-
day when he told joint session that
this nation has found it necessary to
take drastic measures to protect Amer
lean lives and American property
against the depredations of a ruthless.
internationally illegal submarine sea
warfare.
/ GETS WHAT HE ASKS.
| Many congress heads, including
even those who do not agree altogether
with the president in his course,
pointed to the fact that Wilson had
opposition beforehand he has always
got what he asked"
Congress generally plainly showed
early today it does not like the presi-
dents request for 'other instrument
alities" than guns for American craft,
gunners and money mainly for insur-
ance. wherewlth to meet international
possibilities.
That the house foreign affairs COM
mittee would report today seemed very
| likely. At the same time. the rules
committee was ready to report out n
rule to find some way to shorten the
time to the minimum required for con-
sidering the bill.
LET SENATE ACT FIRST.
When the house foreign committee
| met at 10 o'clock there was IL DISPOSE
| ton to let the senate take the first
step toward giving the president the
desired authority The house commit
tee was aetuated in this view by the
press of business on the house side.
| The senate foreign relations commit
tee was booked to meet this forenoon
to consider Wilson's request. Last
night the members dispersed without
knowing what they would do.
! Action In the house seemed possible
before night; 1t is possible likewise the
senate will dispose of the matter to-
day.
POSITION STRENGTHENED.
| Sinking of the Laconia. with the
| loss of two American women's lives.
strengthened President Wilson's po-
sition, even among pacifist opponents,
| yet 1t did not serve fully to assuage the
opposition to the instrumentalities.
The answer to paciflct opposition
will be that the presidents request Is
laimed-not at war--but at peace An
other answer will be that In handing
copies of the address to diplomatic re-
representatives. of all foreign govern
ments here, recipients We're told spe-
| officially the same thing-that what
| the president asked does not in any
way constitute Warlise move. that
| ii is designed, on the other hand, to
preserve the frayed peace between this
nation and Germany; that with the
powers the president asked, he hopes
to take steps that will preserve the
peace.
This same construction was includ-
ed with the text wirelessed to Berlin,
| In the meantime. neutral diplomats
have redoubled their sub-surface eff
| forts to check Germany and save the
worlds greatest neutral from being
sucked into the war maelstrom. Just
how this lis succeeding or what part IL
any, the United States Is taking. Off
cially or otherwise is not fully shown.
Committeeman BALk.
Minority members of the house for
eign affairs committee balted today at
two points, in granting President Will
son authority he wants coping with
the German situation They were: On
the matter of arming munition ships
and on authorizing him to use other
instrumentalities" than guns, gunners
and money.
Some of the committee put up a
strong fight against reporting out the
bill with authority to the president
| to arm ships IL they carried NUM-
tions.
Food ships. they said. could be
| armed.
BOUND TO REACT.
Some members objected that the
American stand against submarines is
bound to react in the future--is des-
tined to render useless valuable
| weapon for us some time.
| AS for the other instrumentalities"
than those Wilson yesterday specifi-
cally requested, the minority members
said that was unthinkable--it merely
delegated to him virtual war making
+, power. reposing in congress itself.
Phone IA taxi line without
| Ford. All large cars. Orric S. Cole.
ADV. IT,