Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-02-27
Chief Executive Is RoundIy
Cheefed at Conclusion of
Address to Two Houses
Meeting in Joint Session.
ARMED NEUTRALITY
IS POLICY OUTLINED
Declares, While Overt Act Has.
Not Occurred, 0ffenSeS
Against America Are ACCu-
muIating Rapidly,
tsv MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL lEAstO wrsrI


Washington, Feb. 26.-President
Wilson today asked congress for au-
thority to use the forces of the Unit
ed States to protect American ships
and lives against the German subma.
rine menace to put the nation in Il
state of armed neutrality.
The immediate response was the in
PRODUCTION in the house of a bill, ap-
proved in advance by the president,
and empowering him to furnish guns
and gunners to American merchant.
men and to employ such other in.
strumentalities and methods" as may
become necessary; and providing fol
a $100,000,000 bond issue, to be used
in his discretion for war insurance to
encourage American commerce to
brave the submarine peril. The bill
may be brought up in the house to-
morrow with special rules for its i'm
mediate consideration.
A similar bill will be considered to-
morrow by the senate foreign rela-
tions committee.
Republicans Oppose.
The presidents long expected ac-
ton, while received in the main With
expressions of support, threatens to
force an extra session of congress.
Republicans, disinclined to grant
blanket authority while congress is in
recess, give evidence OF opposing the
legislation the president asks, not for
the purpose of Withholding 1t, but to
force him to have congress in special
session to take a hand in the next
steps which they feel will lead to war.
The republicans are receiving passive
support from the democratic element
classified as pacifist.
The presidents advisers deplore
this situation for its effect in Ger
many, where they are convinced it
will feed the official impression thai
congress will not support the presi-
dent, il he finds it necessary to go t.
war and that he is not speaking the
of united country.
Too Much Authority.
The presidents request for author
ity to nse "other instrumentalities," is
the principal sticking point. Even thu
republicans and some of the demo-
Gratis who hesitate to give him what
he asks. say they would be willing t.
give him authority to arm American
ships or act on a definite proposal,
but are reluctant to Sign a blank
check"
The administration faces this divi-
sion in its own ranks, in its efforts to
convince the kaiser that the United
States now is preparing to enforce re-
spect for its rights on the high seas.
Some democrats point to the presi-
dents own statement in his address
today that he considered he already
had implied authority to act, and
might CO so without sanction of con
gress. Mr.. Wilson, himself, howevey,
said he preferred not to act on i'm
plications and did not desire to be
left without specific authority and no
congress to which to turn. All these
things point toward an extra session,
although way out may develop at
the last moment.
Although President Wilson told
congress he was not acting because of
the long feared covert act" news of
the destruction of the Cunard liner
Laconia, with Americans aboard, was