Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-08
2 SENATORS HOLD
UP THE MAJORITY
t4aFOllette's Filibuster Defeats
Bill to Enlarge President
Wilson's Authority.
IN SESSION &c HOURS.
&c Senators Declare They Would Have
Voted for Armed Neutrality Bill
Were They Given Opportunlty.
IN SESSION &c HOURS.

Washington, March 4.-The 9th Con-
yress expired at noon without vote being
cached in the Senate on the armed ncu-
lrality bill.
Twelve senators. led by Senator LaFol-
'ettc, and encouraged by Senator Stone.
democratic chairman Of the foreign rela
tons committee. in a filibustcr denounced
by President Wilson's spokesman as the
most reprehensibe in the history of any
civilized nation. defed the will of an
overwhelming majority in Congress UP
to the last minute to-day and denied to
tho President law authorizing him TO
ann American merchant ships to meet
the German submarine menace.
Is HOURS CONTINUOUS SESSION.
Unyiediny throughout the IS hours OF
continuous session to appeals that their
defiance of the President would be hi.
initiating to the country, uncompromising
in crisis described TO them as the most
serious to the nation since the Civil War
LaFollette and his small group of sup
Dorters refused majority of their col
leagues an opportunity to vote on the
armed neutrality bill and it died with
the 1th Congress at noon.
RESPONSIBILITY FIXED.
To fix responsibility before the country
Is senators. so republicans and as demo-
Gratis. signed a manifesto proclair,ing to
the world that they favored passage OF
the measure.
This declaration. embodied in the record
Of the Senate. referred to the fact that
the House Thursday night had passed a
similar bill by vote of 403 to 10 and also
recited that the Senate rule permitting
unlimited debate gave a small minority
opportunity to throttle the will Of the
majority.
THE MANIFESTO.
The text Of the manifesto is as follows:
THE majority Of United States sena-
tors favored the passage Of the Senate bill
authorizing the President Of the United
States to arm American merchant vessels
similar bill having already passed the
House by a vote of 400 to 49, Under the
rules Of the Senate allowing unlimited de-
bate 1t appears to be impossible to obtain
vote previous to noon March 4, 1911.
when this session of Congress expires.
We desire the statement entered on the
record to establish this fact that the Sem
ate favored the legislation and would pass
1t il vote could be obtained"
HOW THEY LINED UT.
Thirteen senators declined to sign the
declaration, but one of them, Senator
Penrose. republican. of Pennsylvania, an
nounccd that he would have voted for the
bill had opportunity been afforded him.
The II who went on record with the 10
members OF the House against granting
to President Wilson the authority he ask
ed from Congress in this crisis were:
Republicans-Clapp of Minnesota, Cum
minis of Iowa. Gronna of North Dakota,
Kenyon of Iowa. LaFollette of Wisconsin,
Of Nah
seven.
Democrats-kirby of Arkansas, Lane of
Oregon. O'Gorman of New York. Stone
Of Missouri. Vardaman of Mississippi
five.
Associated with them in opposition to
the armed neutrality bill were the fol-
lowing representatives who voted against
the House bill Thursday night:
Republicans-Benedict OF California,
Cary of Wisconsin. Cooper Of Wisconsin,
Davis Of Minnesota. Helgesen of North
Dakota. Lindbergh Of Minnesota. Nelson
OF Wisconsin. Stafford of Wisconsin. Will
son OF Illinois-nine.
Democrats-Decker OF Missouri. Shackle.
ford Of Missouri. Sherwood Of Ohio
three.
Socialist-London Of New York-one.
VERMONT SENATORS WITH
PRESIDENT.
The rs senators who signed the mani
festo were:
Democrats-Ashurst. Bankhead, Beck
ham. Broussard. Bryan. Chamberlain,
Chiffon. Fletcher. Hardwick. Hitchcock
Hollis. Hughes. Husting. James. John
son of South Dakota. Kern. Lea. Lee
Lewis. Martin Of Virginia, MARITIME Of New
Jersey. Meyers. Newlands. Overman
Owen. Phelan. Pittman, Pomerene. Rams.
dell. Reed. Robinson. Salisbury. Sha,
froth. Sheppard. Shields, Simmons. Smith
of Georgia. Smith Of Maryland. Smith
Of South Carolina. Swanson. Thomas
Thompson. Tillman. Underwood. Walsh
and Williams-6.
Republicans-Borah, Brady. Brandegee
Catron. Clark. Colt. Curtis. Dillingham;
DUPONT. Fall. Fcrnaid. Harding. Jones
Lodge. McCumbcr. Mclean. Nelson
Oliver. Page. Poindexter. Sherman
Smith Of Michigan. Smoot. Sterling
Sutherland. Townsend. Wadsworth. War
rem. Watson and Weeks-S0.
OF the seven senators not recorded
three. Gallinger and Goff republicans. and
Gore. democrat. were absent on account
of sickness. Senators Lippit. republican
and johnson of Maine and Smith of Ari
zone. democrats, were absent from the
city and Senator Culberson. democrat. die
not reach the Senate in time to bt
recorded.
ONE ON LAFOI1LETTE.
Hours before tint end senators who
fought throughout the night to breai
down the fiibuster conceived way te
thwart LaFollette's we'll laid plans tc
occupy the center OF the legislative stage
at the climax Of the bitter fight. it,
execution brought the session to
dramatic end, with LaFolette fighting
vainly for q chance to deliver a speech
on which he had worked many days. HI
saw friends Of the doomed legislation
infict the death blow which he planned.
Instead OF LaFollette. Senator Hitch
cock. leader OF the majority In favor Of
the bill. talked out the waning hours Of
the session. Timing his opportunity Il
the minute. Senator LaFollctte entered thu
Senate chamber shortly after mint
o'clock this morning prepared to take the
csuter Of the stage for the last act o.