Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-03-09
HOUSE WILL GRANT
AN EXTRA SESSION
coNGREssMEN PREPARE TO RE.
SPoND TO WILSON'S CALL FOR
EXTRA SESSiONJTO RESUME
COMMERCE ON HIGH SEAS AT
ONCE

Washington. d. C., March 9-Mem-
bers OF both Houses of Congress held
, themselves in readiness today for
quick response To President Wilson S
call for an extraordinary session. The
summoning OF the Legislators back 10
the capitol is hourly expected. Ii may
be temporarily delayed. However by
President Wilson's slight illness which
kept him confined TO his bed all of
yesterday and from which he had not
recovered today.
Administration leaders declared
that with the assembling Of congress
the resumption of American com.
merce on the high seas will take place
Immediately No difficulty is antici.
pated in jamming through both
Houses the specific authority for the
President to arm American merchant
ships and send them forth i'll defiance
of Germany's submarine decree.
President Wilson's grip on the sen.
ate was about as complete today as
any executive ever attained Under
White House pressure the Senate
swept away traditions of century
and a quarter and adopted a change
to the Senate rules which will here.
after prevent any Little group of will.
full men from holding up by merely
, talking legislation which the Admin
istration considers vitality affe, ting the
health OF the nation.
Little delay will be experienced in
assembling the congress The senate
already Is i'm extra session and mem.
bers Of the House. new and old. have
been nntified to be ready for the call
Ii the President so desires the machin.
cry Of the entire congress can be set
in motion by March 90 No obstacle
remains in the path of prompt enact
ment of the measure giving the presi-
dent power to arm American ships and
to use Such other instrumentalities
and methods" as he may deem neces.
sary to protect American lives and
commerce on the high seas
Administration leaders were exult.
ant today. They declared the Senate
vote on the cloture rules showed that
the senate is eager to support the
President, Even the opponents to the
armed neutrality bill admitted that
the measure could be passed within
I forty-eight hours after the re.assemb
( ling Of congress.
Regardless, however. OF whether
there is an immediate call fol
the congress, American merchant
ships are to be armed. Both Secretary
OF State Lansing and Attorney Gen
eral Gregory have assured the Presi
dent that he possesses the authority
to equip American ships with guns for
defensive purposes. What President
Wilson most desires to show is tina,
he has united congress and nation
behind him. The Little group OF viii
ful men," who prevented the last con
gress from giving him such authorit,
afforded to Germany much satisfac
ton and to Washington much chagrin
The fact that the German press held
up the 'Wilful" Senators as represent
ing "The Best spirit in America seri
ously disturbed the Administration
and made the necessity fer a new con
gress all the more apparent in AID
ministratlon eyes,
The adoption of the cloture rule ha.
also cleared the way for important leg
islation made necessary by the Ger
man crisis. The senate can be force,
to vote within two days under tn,
present rule, or whenever eventual
ties demand them.
Berlin Denies Mexican Plots.
I Eerlin, March 9.-Semi-ofiicial dc
NAL was made here today OF report
that German Consuls or Germ ,
agents have been actively engaged /
stirring up trouble in Mexico.
1t was denied that German none
had been paid to Villa to renew hi
activities against General Carranz
or to menace American border elite;
Cfficials declared 1t ridiculous to u
sert that Germany would encourag
villa while at the same time propo,
ing to General Carranza defensiv
alliance against the United Stale'
70 cause internal troubles in Mexic
would nullify the effect of their {
forts to obtain an aggressive all.
they said
The Wilson administration Is gene
ally blamed by German officials II
alleged disclosures OF new Germa
plots" and spy activities since tn
publication of the Zimmerman lette
; Reports Of German spy plots, it
held here are being spread In I'll
United States to gain support Il
President Wilson'S aggressive stan
AGAINST Germaly
Austria Sounds Note Of Cheer
: Berne, Mar. 9.---The Austrian new
papers inform their readers that II /
American ship Is sunk and no Amel
can lives lost thru submarine acti,
ties within the next fortnight, the
probably will be no declaration
war between the United States al
the central pOWcry.