New Britain herald., 1917-03-05
SWORN IN DURING
 STORM SCENE IN SENATE

l DultulHS, Jney WoTe Ssu4Auk AV SSSA Spangled Banner" while a woman
 unfurled great flag. The house had
 done all its work and was waiting for the end. The house had passed the Ship Defense bill, 4O3 to 13. and
 was we'll satisfied with itself: the sem
 ate would pass 1t. If 1t could get a
 vote. by 76 to II, but La Toilette
 and his little band of fiiibusterers had it by the throat. So the senate of the Sixty-fourth congress was pass
 ing out in anger and hatred. amid
 scenes almost of violence while the
 house was tranquilly anticipating
 popular approval.
 In less than an hour now the man who had brought about these situa-
 tions by his demand for the support of congress in protecting American ships and lives was to enter on his second term. The senate had been I storming along all night, it's members were exhausted. their nerves were on l edge. It had been recognized since midnight that there was no chance
 for a vote on the Ship Defense bill. La Folette's flibusterers were to take the floor one after the other. and he
 was to wind up the week with a great speech occupying the last hour or two of the life of this congress. He was to hold the floor as noon struck. and then. with La Folette's voice the last
 sound of the administration. the pres ident waiting behind the wall was to be inaugurated on the heels of de- feat.
 Filibustcr Exposed.
 Senator Hitchcock, who had charge
 of tho Ship Defense bill, labored with
 bitter patience all night and all
 morning to break up this plan and
 place the responsibility for the failure to protect American lives on the shoulders of the La Toilette f1libuster- CTS. Beginning at 6:3O Saturday night
 when La Follette's democratic ally. Stone, had but recently finished his speech, Hitchcock offered at regular intervals an agreement to reach . vote at some hour before adjournment. Now 1t would be l a. m., now 3; now 10 or II. or even 11:30. He would ask the filibusters if they would be willing. after having had their say. to consent to this agreement. All night they evaded a direct refusal; admis- sion that they did not want a vote and were insincere in their claim that they wanted only free discussion was just what Hitchcock was trying to force from them. It was not until just after the president came in that La Toilette, goaded to fury. roared out after Hitchcock had asked the question for perhaps the twentieth time, that he would not consent to any vote-the admission Hitchcock had boen seeking for the Record.
 In the course of the night the ad- .vocates of the Ship Defense. bill cir-y culcated a manifesto showing that the senate. if allowed to vote. would pass the measure by a tremendous major- fty. Seventy-five senators signed the | manifesto, and just after the pres ident arrived Senator Tillman an- nounced that he was for 1t, and that made the seventy-sixth. Eleven sem ators refused to sign 1t. If, there..I fore, tho president chooses to exercise the authority which he believes he has, to defend the ships whether con- gress so authorizes him or not, he 1 can point to a vote of 403 to 13 in the house, and to a vote in the sen ate of 76 to II which would have been his if La Toilette and his ten follow CTS had allowed the vote to be taken.
 The reading into the record of this hs u. a riotous scene. Senator Jones of Washington denounced Senator Rob- inson of Arkansas for reading it. and Robinson rushed over to him, waving his fists and shouting. Jones and La Toilette stood together, and Robin son waved his arms around both of them. while La Toilette laughed in his face.
 Ia Toilette IA,ScS Tex,,,,nr
 From that time on the temner of the. senate grew shorter and shorter. At last came the climax The ad- leaders had determined that La Toilette should not deliver his speech, and when, at about 10 o'clock, he rose to make it, Senator in the chair, recognized, not him but Hitchcock. La Follette's temper, already badly strained, broke. He tried to get the floor on Q par inquiry: Robinson made a point of order against him. and the two men stood yelling defiance at each other.
 Thereafter La Toilette repeatedly tried to break in: each time Hitch cock would offer him the floor on condition that he consent to a vote before noon. Each time La Toilette would try to evade, and each time Robinson would promptly force him to his seat by calling for the regu- lar order; then Hitchcock would re- sumc in the same even tone as before l those who were depriviny /! Americans of their right to protection l in the face of a senatorial majority l of 76 to II. He stood like a piece | of granite, his face never changing a l muscle. while La Toilette grew wilder | and wilder as the hands of the clock ! moved on. |
 Toward II o'clock La Toilette 1 seemed beside himself: he wore a 1 fixed smile. and his eyes were blazing. ] yv ki1o h1a r0und fooo 1,o1 <.,.~.a |