Evening star., 1917-03-05

been called for 80 o'clock to-
morrow morning, at which one of
the subjects discussed will be a
fight for a cloture rule to prevent
flibusters by a few senators such
as killed the armed neutrality
bill.
Responsive to the Presidents
appeal to the Senate to change it's
rules so that a little group of
willful men, might not continue
to make the country Helpless and
contemplate" before the world
in the Submarine crisis, the
cloture movement was initiated
today by the democratic leaders.
President Wilson has referred
to his legal advisers his doubts OF
his power to arm American ships
in the absence of direct authority
from Congress. Some decision is
expected from the Attorney Cen
eral within the next twenty-four
hours.
Doubts Power to Arm Ships.
President Wilson believes the killing
of the armed neutrality bill by the Sen
ate filibuster before adjournment yes
| terday may effectually prevent him
from exercising executive prerogative
to arm merchant ships. and advocates
| immediate reform of rules by the SEN
ate at the session called for today. to
prevent a small minority from holding
up legislation in the future
After twelve senators led by Senator
La Toilette had defied the wish Of an
overw Ginning majority to vote on the
neutrality bill until forced adjourn
ment yesterday noon carried the meas
ure down to its death President Wilson
issued statement denouncing the OBJ
structionists and expressing doubt
whether he can proceed to arm ships
without Legislative sanction.
Referring to the fflibuster, the Presi-
dents statement said:
The result in this case is n complete
pa ralyss alike of the legislative and
executive branches of our government
"A little group of willful men. rem
| resenting no opinion but their own,
have rendered the great government
of the United States helpless and con
temptible."
Predict Change in Rules.
The tremendous initiative given the
movement by the Presidents rebuke
to senator's who caused failure of the
armed neutrality bill also has had ef
| feet and there are predictions that the
rules of the Senate after years of more
| or less latent effort to prevent fli-
| buster will be changed.
| Senator Owen of Oklahoma is the
| chairman of a special committee named
year ago to frame a cloture program
| AS result of the efforts of that com
mittee. the following resolution recon-
| mended by the Senate committee on
rules is pending for consideration
| provided that if sixteen senators
! present to the Senate at any time a
! signed motion to bring to a close the
debate upon any pending measure. the
presiding officer shall at once state
the motion to the Senate and at
! the close of the morning hour on the
following calendar day lay the motion
before the Senate and direct that the
| secretary call the roll, and, upon the
ascertainment that a quorum is pres
ent the chair shall, without debate
! submit to the Senate by an aye and
nav vote the question.
| "Is il the sense of the Senate that
the debate shall be brought to close?
| And if that question shall be decided
| in the affirmative by a two-thirds vote
| of those voting. then said measure shall
be in order. to the exclusion of all
other business. except a motion to re-
| cess or adjourn.
| "Thereafter no senator shall be en-
| titled to speak more than one hour on
| the bill, the amendments thereto. and
motions affecting the same, and it shall
| be the duty of the chair to keep the
| time of each senator who speaks. No
diIatory motions shall be in order, and
all points of order and appeals from
the decision of the chair shall be de-
| cided without debate"
Thirty-Three Members Pledged.
| Anticipating a fight to change the
rules, even had the Presidents bomb
shell statement not been exploded
Senator Owen began several days ago
| 70 canvass the new Senate. and thirty
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