Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-05
WILSON GIVES UP.
Says Extra Session Would Be Futile
Excoriates FiIibusters,

Excoriates FiIibusters.
Washington. March 5.--Officially ex-
coriating az dangerous foes of the ma
tons welfare the flibustering senators
who Killed the armed neutrality bill in
the expiring congress. President Wilson
disclosed last night a radical change In
his contemplated policy Of dealing with
the German submarine menace.
Baked by the senate in his effort to
obtain express authority to protect
Americans on the high seas, the presi-
dent has abandoned, temporarily at
least, the project of arming American
ships.
He confesses that such a step would
be illegal under the statute Of 1919,
which, by implication, prohibits Ameri-
can merchantmen from arming against
the warships and other public vessels
of a nation with which the United
States is at peace.
Will Demand cIoture Rule.
T. Tho sptesident also indicated that
while he ID stHl oppHsed 10, calling an
extra session of-congress Immediately.
he will attempt to induce the special
session OF the senate, which assemblies
today, to adopt q cloture rule making
it impossible to repeat the fllibuster
that killed the armed ship bill
II he succeeds. with the aid OF pub
lie opinion, upon which he relies, in
establishing cloture in the senate, the
president then will summon the new
congress to Washington and endeavor
to obtain ina grant Of full power to deal
~ tpS, LOT q
failed to confer upon him.
May Need Special Session.
In the opinion Of many administra-
tion officials. however. they president
will b0 compelled to call an extra ses-
sion OF congress to repair failure to
provide for the national defense before
he succeeds in fastening cloture Of de-
bate upon the senate.
These disclosures were contained in
an official statement issued by Presi-
dent Wilson last night. Leaving the
capitol angered by the failure Of his
legislation, the president spent the at
ternoon composing the announcement
giving his opinion Of La Toilette
and his colleagues who opposed the
armed ship bill. Few utterances so Wit
riol!c have been penned by Mr.. Wilson.
old Statute q Handicap.
Altho the president informed con-
gress that he believed he possessed all
the authority necessary to protect the
rights of Americana on the high seas,
he now holds that tho legislative
branch of the government has made It
impossible to defend the nations inter-
ests and honor.
The decision to abandon the project
Of arming American ships was dis
closed In the following addendum to
Mr.. Wilson'S formal statement:
AT the same time the president an
thorized the further statement that
what rendered the situation even more
grave than 1t had been supposed that
1t was. was the discovery that. while
the president, under his general consti-
tutional power, could do much OF that
which he had asked congress to en-
power him to do, It had been found that
there were certain old statutes, as yet
unrepealed,. which raised insuperable
obstacles and virtually nullifed his
power" @.
Provisions Of the Measure.
. fInlS auueNuuIn TeLeTS 10 tHe statue
OF 1919. 1t Is regarded as surprising
circumstance that Attorney General
Gregory should have permitted the
president to proclaim to congress that
he possessed the authority to. arm
American ships against German sub
marines when an unrepealed law Of the
United States Barred the way to the
adoption Of that measure. The law OF
1919 provides:
'hThe Commander and crew of any
merchant vessel iof the United States
owned wholly or In part by any citi-
zen thereof, may oppose and defend
against any Aggression, search. re-
stralnt, depreciation. or seizure. which
shall be attempted upon such vessel or
upon any other, vessel SO owned. to the
commander or crew Of any armed ves-
sci whatsoever, not being a public
armed vessel OF some nation In amity
with the United States. and may sub
duo and captura the same"
b The presidents admission OF the pro-
hibitory character Of this old law mean:
that not only will ne be debarred from