The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-05
By F.. n. s.ARTwEIL.

Ia his efforts to secure from the ex-
piring sixty fourth congress authorize
ton to protect American lives and
American rights at sea, President
Wilson tonight started struggle to
&" secure the power he deems necessary
from the sixty-ffth congress.
determined filipuster in the SEN
ase conducted by Senator La Toilette,
Of Wisconsin. aided by ten other sem
ators. blocked the bill designed to
range congress behind the president
In his plan 10 place the United States
on a basis Of armed neutrality me
senate rules permitting unlimited de-
bate made the defeat of the measure
possible. although only eleven SEN
ators were prepared to vote against
e. Tonight the president declared
war on the senate rules and the ad-
1uinistration leaders planned an i'm
mediate fight to force cloture RUE
through the upper house.
The senate will meet in special ses-
sion AT noon tomorrow. On Tsfes-
dav the battle to make the senate re-
sponsiye TO the win OF the majority
will begin. Administration senator's
declared tonight that the fiSht would
continue without intermission until! All
possibility of negligible minority
dsfyins ar overwhelming majority
ana aDSotuteiN pHEN1btiiS ~ oNN~N~
action has been removed.
Would Adopt Cioture Rule.
1t was made clear tonight that the
adontion OF a cloture rule in the SEN
ate would clear the way fa- an extra
ordinary se ssion of the sixty NTH con-
s-ess and certain endorsement or
The presidents plan for arrning
American ships and protecting Ameri-
can rights al SEA In the face or tho
German submarine campaign OF ruin
lcssness.
After tho president had issued
statement bitterly deploring the de-
feat Of the armed neutrality bill and
lenonncins the means by which a
handful of willful men rendered the
Government helpless and contempt
ihle." senate leaders plannes their
fight.
The special session OF the senate.
called for tomorrow. was originally
called for the consideration OF nonli-
rattcas. treaties and other purely sen
ate routine On Tuesday all sdch
hills will be forced aside and Senator
owen. ~ Oklahoma. for years sup
porter OF senate cioture, will oegih
arht to force through q rule which
will limit senate debate.
Limit Each to Ono Hour.
The president himself IS not COM
ntitted 20 any pafucuiSF foVHl "t
r,otu-e but the owen plan would
limit each senator TO one noar o1-1
ftYssEen on any measure. This wou9o
mace a maximum limit Of pinety-s'x
hours Of discussion on any bill ma
4o,i,v desired TO bring 10 vote
senator Owens declared tonight ne
,,ronosed to press his cloture pro
nosal to the exclusion OF all other
senate business and 10 prevent cons'd-
Grafton OF all other measures until II
has been adopted. In his statement
torirht the president declared that an
,xtra session OF congress TO consider
tie armed neutrality would he futile
80 long as A small group Of senators
,.u,ttd follow the same course that
killed the measure TO-DAY. senate
cIoture rule. however. would make II
possible to force the proposal through
both house and senate at an extra
ordinary session.
Face Dire Possibilities.
Facing 6. future fraught with dire
possibilities for the nation. President
Wilson tonight rested on his own
authority without congressional and
or support AS the sIStyfourth con-
sress passed dramatically into history
al noon today, the solemn request OF
the president for congressional af-
firmation of his authority to arm
american merchant ships. and pro-
tect American rights against the Ger
man submarine campaign was re-
fused,
A determined filibuster, led by Sem
ator La Toilette, of Wisconsin sup
rorted by ten other senators, pre-
vented the enactment of the admin
is,raiion bill designed to place con-
gress squarely behind the chief execs-
tive in his plans for placing the
United States on a basis of armed
neutrality. Not all the efforts OF an
overwhelming majority OF the senate
could sway the little group OF obstruc-
tionists. who by parliamentary trick
and device. filib <tered the measure
to death in what will be bered
rs one of the most bitter sessions the
senate of the United States has ever
known.
Before the presidential authoriza-
ton bill died seventy-siX senator's.
Democrats and Republicans, signed a
manifesto declaring that they favored
the measure and would vote for 1t il
n vote could be secured. Eleven
senators. IaFollette. Kirby Clapp, Nor
ris. Cummins Kenyon, Gronna, Lane
OrGorman. Vardaman and Works re-
fused to sign the declaration, and con-
,inued their obstructive tactics. AS
President Wilson sat III the little red
presidents room adjoining the senate
chamber. the flbuster drove the
armed neutrality bill to defeat
through debate that bristled with
bitter personalities and acrimonious
charges.
Most Reprchensible.
This bill. designed to place in the
hands of the president OF the United
states the power and authority to
safeguard American lives and Ameri-
can rights" declared Senator Hitch
! s.pels.. of Nebraska. as. he closed the
f,uitless debate that had kept the SEN
ate in continuous session for twenty
six hours. has been done to death
here by the most reprehensible fli-
buster the senate OF the United States
has ever known"
Senator La Toilette sought to secure
a opportunity to make . dramatic