The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-03-29
AGAINST ONE MAN POWER
II. A. Cooper Declares He Is Ready to
Stand With Nation and for Nations
Defense and Declares That He
Favors Preparedness.

That President Wilson 8 order to
arm all merchant ships without any
restrictions as to cargo, was an act OF
way in the fullest sense, and that all
belligerents must so consider it, is the
contention of Congressman 81. A. Coo
per who has returned home from Wash.
ington and who was in Kenosha today.
Congressman Cooper will leave in a
few days for Washington for the spe-
cial session opening on next Monday.
He has made full statement in re-
gard to his vote against the bill to
arm merchant vessels and he holds that
it is complete defense of his action.
"The failure of congress to pass the
bill to arm Ships said Mr.. Cooper,
"did not hamper the president, al
though the contrary has beens stated
often in the newspapers, for the presi-
dent claimed in his message of Febru-
ary 26 that he undoubtedly had all the
power necessary. He expressly SO
stated in his message. He merely
asked congress, in effect, to endorse
his claims as to his constitutional
power.
"He claims the right to arm ships
and supply them with the necessary
means of using the cannon he might
place upon them and in the bill which
he drew himself, Employ such other
instrumentalities and methods as
might, in his judgment and discretion,
seem necessary. No distinction was
made as to the cargoes to be carried
on these ships.
FEThis, of course, would leave it to
the president to arm ships with can
non, to put on these ships expert naval
gunners, although these ships were
loaded with ammunition consigned to
belligerent nation And for the
president to do this would be an act
of war That was the plain issue be-
fore congress
"During the debate, Mr.. Gardner of
Massachusetts,, who supported the bill,
was asked whether he would have the
president arm and convoy ships loaded
with arms and ammunition consigned
to belligerent, and he replied, yes.
ct was not willing to leave the
great question of peace or war in that
way to one man.
Mr.. Cooper next quoted his own
speech in the house in which he said
that "the bill is an attempt, in effect,
to yield to the president part of the
sole constitutional power of congress
to declare war;
Referring to the subsequent minor
ity report signed by himself and FIVE
other representatives, Mr.. Cooper add
ed: "In accord with this report, when
the bill was before the house, I offered
the following proviso as an amend
ment: Providing, that no ships of
American registry armed in the man
ner aforesaid shall carry cargoes con-
sisting in whole or in part of arms or
ammunition consigned to a belligerent
country or to citizen thereof
"This amendment received 125 votes
but was defeated.
ct opposed the bill not because I
am opposed to preparedness. I voted
for the appropriations for the navy,
for the army, for Notifications, for
aeroplanes, for submarines. I have by
voice and vote always supported the
measures to make the country ready
to defend itself. But this does not
mean that by my votes I must approve
the claim of the president that he al
ready had the constitutional power to
arm and convoy ships carrying arms
and ammunition consigned to belli-
gerent.
Congress was asked to establish a
precedent fraught with the gravest
danger to the nation. l am opposed to
the president being granted more pow
er to endanger the peace of the coun-
try than was already given him by the
constitution. And President Wilson
himself has said in his book, Congress
sional Government published in 1885,
that president has power to endanger
bAO pOStOO VI q mere GU6
president s words: His (the presi-
dent's) only power. of compelling com
phance on the part of the senate lies
in his initiative in negotiations, which
affords him chance to get this coun-
try into such scrapes, so pledged in
the view of the world to certain
courses of action, that the senate hest.
tates to bring about the appance of
dishonor which would follow its re
fusal to ratify the rash promises or to
support the indiscrete threats Of the
department of state
II respect the president He is the
president Of all the people. I said a
year ago in the house that if war
should come to US, we would be united
| in the spirit of the government, But