Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-27
Committees of Senate and
House Decide to Modify
Pending Bill.
EARNED NEUTRALITY"
CONFINED TO NAVY
President Probably Will Be Granted
Right to Use Sea Forces Only in Pro-
tectins Shipping and Enforcing
Rights Of America on High Seas
Senate to Redraft Entire Bill to
Make II More Explicit.

washing Ton, req. lI.-N Hlle uetallS
Of deaths of Americans in the un-
warned destruction Of the Laconia be-
gan coming IN today, the opposition
to congress to giving broad authority
to deal with the submarine menace be-
gan taking definite form and showed
considerable strength. At the White
House 1t was made known that the
destruction of the Laconia was n
Gear r-cut violation of American rights
and lives: demonstration of what
might be expected in the future. and
to hurry congress to act to clothe the
president with full authority to meet
the peril
Bill to Be Modified.
Nevertheless the house foreign af-
fairs committee after debating the
Floyd bill, which has the backing Of
the president, decided that the broad
powers to be conferred by use OF tho
phrase "other i:,strumentalities" should
be modified and that the president
should be limited to using the naval
forces Of the United States, including
the naval militia.
The senate foreign relations COM
mittee republicans voted solidly
against giving the president blanket
authority, and are reported toAhaNe <re-
ceived support from Senators Stone,
Hitchcock and O'Gorman.
No formal action was taken in eth
er committee. Chairman Floyd took
the proposed amendments to the
White House. One provided to pro-
hibit armirg ships carrying ammuni-
ton and contraband.
Administration officials consider the
attitude of congress of sufficient i'm.
portance to send an official report or
the death Of Americans on the La
coma to congress in some official way.
To Redraft Entire Bill.
The senate committee had decided to
redlaf the whole bill to make it more
explicit.
The right to arm ships, it was said.
would take the form of authorizing
all American ship owners to arm, ves-
sells and for the governme mt to supply
gunners for American vessels.
Senators and repIes natives began
emergency peace society. asking to op-
pose the presidents request. 1t was
said here today that Jane Addams, OF
Chicago. would seek an audience with
the president to protest against steps
being taken which were described as
contemplated toward war between the
United States and Germany
Senate Committee Backs Wilson.
All members Of the foreign relations
committee Of the senate We're agreed
that authority be given the president
to arm American ships and to safe
guard American property on the high
seas. .''e
The committee has under considera-
tion law relating to piracy, passed in
1919. The statute provided:
"That the president Of the United
States be and he hereby Is authorized
and requested to employ so many Of
the public armed vessels as in his judg-
ment the service may require. with
suitable instructions to the command
ers thereof, in protecting the mer-
chantships Of the United States and
their crews from piratical aggressions
and depra dations.
This statute also provided that the
commander and crew Of any merchant
vessel OF the United States. owned
wholly or in part by q citizen thereof,
may resist search or seizure which
shall be attempted upon such vessel or
any other vessel owned as aforesaid
by the commander and crew of any
armed vessN whatsoever"
Whether the bill would provide for
the conveying Of ships has not been
determined but several expressed the
view that there would be incorporated
in it a clause similar to that In the
law of 1919. ....
Senate Discusses Bill.
Open discussion Of arming merchant
ships came up In the senate today dur
Ing consideration of the naval bin. Sem
ator LaFollette spoke on an amend
ment to the bill.
docs this contemplate arming OF
merchant vessels?" asked Senator La
Toilette.
z Senator Swanson, in charge OF the
bill replied that appropriations were
designed to provide guns in case of
war and does not specifically authorize
arming Of merchant vessels. +
III congress decides to give such
power this amendment will provide the
necessary guns he added.
4 Senator Lodge, discussing the rights
or merchant vessels to arm, said pri-
vate merchant ships now have BY law
the right to arm themselves, but that
the naval bill money could not be used
I "a Y n y