The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-03-08
Easy TASK AHEAD
OF U. s. SENATORS
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OF U. s. SENATORS
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ate rules was begun today when Sen
ator Martin of Virginia, introduced
nd asked unanimous consent for i'm
mediate consideration of a measure
nroviding limitation Of debate
Support for consideration Of Mar
tins amendment came from repubu-
cans as well as democrats. Senators
Lodge and Curtis were among the in
unential republicans who asked
unanimous consent for action today.
Senator Lewis, democratic whip,
tried to inject resolution asking the
senate's support OF any step the
president might take. Martin, rebuk-
ing Lewis, demanded withdrawal OF
the resolution for the present. Lewis
consented.
Senator Sherman-one of the two
republicans who opposed the pro-
posed gag rule-opened the morning
fireworks with bitter denunciation
OF President Wilson's statement that
It would be useless to summon an
extra session until the senate rules
were revised.
THE president did not state the
entire truth" Sherman declared. He
deliberately omitted portion OF the
truth to convey to the public false
impression. The president knows and
the senate knows, that no flibuster
could avail in event Of an extra ses-
sion. Only in the closing hours of a
congress where time is limited can a
filibuster succeed. It can only last
from two to four weeks, at the
utmost, before physical exhaustion.
II object to making few senators
the object of the presidents wrath in
an unfair statement" shouted Sher-
man.
Sherman saw in the cloture amend
ment what ne termed a danger"
He predicted that the two-thirds clo-
ture amendment would in a short
time be amended to a majority cio-
.ture amendment.
1.-The president blames the senate
for conditions" said Sherman. 81
wish to remind the president tina,
he has repeatedly ridiculed the course
of preparedness for our army and
navy"
Sherman digressed from rules" to
armed neutrality. denouncing the
C1OluluS VI Lie pISSlucuJ WIFI power
which would permit him to arm
ed. would be tantamount to "de
facto state of war;"
IF the president seeks to exercise
this power" Sherman said, II stand
ready to declare war"
Sherman. however, reiterated his
approval OF armed neutrality, declar
ing it justified by the German man
date OF unrestricted submarine war
fare and the "kaiser-mikado-C arranza
plot" This latter, he said, was sufii
cient evidence Of hostile intent
whether 1t would have come to any
practical end or not"
He also took a fling at republicans
who are now heaping abuse upon the
heads Of The Wilful' after they
themselves had connived in the fiIi
buster. Since a filibuster could not
in an extra session prevent passage
OF the armed neutrality bill, Sherman
held the president Is merely takins
advantage of the present crisis to
permanently alter the senate rules. u
HE is seeking to absolve himself
from his long delay in protecting
American lives by discrediting the
few men who objected to a hasty de-
cislon In the closing hours of con.
gress after his procrastination had
prevented sufficient time for consider.
alton" Sherman said
Sherman defended the little sroup
Of wilful men" as doing what they
did because they thought they would
save "the unnumbered souls arising
from the battle field OF a possible
future; for the widows in black and
f~S the men behind the pillow whose
red American blood might be spilled
on a foreign strand"
Norris Favors CIoture
WASHINGTON. March S-Senator
Norris, one of the "wilful twelve. >
hotly defended the obstructionist
group on the floor OF the senate this
afternoon. declaring that If their
actions in blocking the presi
dents armed neutrality bill were
treason, then make the most of II.
ut looks as if this mass of legisla.
ton was dumped onto congress in its
last minutes purposely when no time
remained for even a reading of the
bill" Norris said.
IF the protest of this 'wiIful group
against this rush action on the part
of the majority is filbustering. then
! am a filibusterer. If this is treason.