Grand Forks herald., 1917-03-03
SENATE DRAFT SENT
in WITH ELIMINATION
OF ARMING DIRECTION
One Amendment Proposes Drop
ping Section to Arm Ships
"Fore and Aft"
BRANDEGEE MAKES
PLEA FOR DEFENSE
Declares That State of War AL
ready Exists and America
Should Act at Once.

Washington, March 3.-The armed
neutrality bill was running a neck
and-neck race with time in congress
today. Democratic leaders were aim
Ing to get it through somehow before
the session dies at noon tomorrow.
sition Of its opposition.
In the senate. where the bill was
being debated, there were some long
opposition speeches ahead. Although
great majority Of the republicans
urged its passage, the leaders were
not sure where the last moment would
find Senator LaFollette and the strain
was drawn out by Senator Stones Of
fering of amendments disagreeable to
the president.
Eleventh Hour jam.
1t was evident on all hands that tho
situation has forced other legislation
into an eleventh hour jam, where
much Of it would be sacrificed.
After the heated executive session
in which Secretary McAdoo partici-
pated the house ways and means COM
mittee today reported favorably the
resolution to authorize an zone hun.
dred fifty million bond issue for hur-
ryang naval construction" .,
Deny Unlimited Power;
Unlimited power for the president
70 spend the money az he Will, either
for work already authorized, or for
new projects. was denied by the COM
mittee despite vigorous efforts of
democrats to obtain it.
Republicans contend that in case
OF national emergency congress prob
ably would be in session and it would
presidents powers. They disclaimed
any desire to hinder the president.
Washington. March 3-Adminis-
tration leaders approached the clos
ing continuous session of congress to-.
day fearful lest opposition by Sena-
tors LaFollette and Stone to the bill
authorizing arming Of American mer-
chant vessels might prevent enact
row.
Senator Stone. it was declared. was
determined to fight for his amend
ment which would withhold protection
from munition carrying ships Sena-
tor LaFollette. who yielded point
late last night in permitting an ad-
vance In the parliamentary position Of
the BILL was ready to make a long
speech against it.
When debate was resumed today.
Senator Hitchcock, to perfect the
bilfs parliamentary status. had the
senate draft. with two slight amend
ments. substituted after the enacting
clause, for the house text. One amend
ment eliminates the provision for
arming merchantmen fore and att
thus removing specific direction as to
armament. The other prevents United
States protection for foreign ships
senator Brandegee called the Ger
man prohibited zone IAN ambush
where Germany laid in wait to deal
death to any one who entered against
her edict creating it,
Must Defend Country.
Shall we sit supinely and allow tho
ukase Of a foreign potentate to clear
the ocean of American shipping and
blockade our ports?" he asked. Are
we Obliged to wait for the slaughter
to be accomplished before we defend
ourselves: l trust that neither con-
gress nor the American people have
fallen to such depths Of degradation
that they are willing to furl the
American flag and withdraw from the
nigh seas as the misguided band OF
pacifists seem to wish
Peace Efforts Treason.
There Is no use to issue a moral
nomily or Salvation Army tract or
to repeat the sermon on the mount
to- TO nation that has gone mad ana
acts through its military hypocrisy
like homicidal maniac. Must We sct
on the face of the earth-lie down
and curl up? The peace propaxanda
IN some aspects. closely approaches
treason" II
Berlin Admission Presented.
Senator Sherman presented today.s
news dispatches from Berlin BRINGING
Foreign Minister Zimmerman's ad-
mission OF the alleged intrigue with
Japan and Mexico. ~ s-g-.
Senator's who had been inclined to
denounce the celebrated zimmsrman's
instructions as forgery Or q British
plot showed particular interest. -
Senator Stone asked where the dis
patches came from and was infornssd
they were from. the Wdln bureau -
German semi official organization.
Give Idea OF Relef&ona. 81
These dispatches. resumed ssna-
tor Brandegee. give NJ : fairly ac- J,
curate idea OF the relations that exist
at the present time between ths Teu- /;
tonic powers and this gt~at cDnntyy.
zimmerman declares 61rmany'n Al.
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