The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-03-10
LAMENTABLE LACK OF
PATRIOTISM.

The closing hours of the sixty
fourth congress of the United States
were marked by most lamentaple
exhibition on the part OF twelve mem
bers of the senate, who took adVan-
tage of an archaic rule Of that BODY
to prevent, by deliberate intent and
mere Understanding debate, the tax
ing of a vote on the pending armed
neutrality bill, authorizing the pres
ident to arm American merchant YES
sells for their protection against nos
tile attack while exercising their flghl
to navigate the high seas and engage
in peaceful commerce. -,
The house of representatives had
previously passed the bill by the over
whelming vote Of 403 yeas to IL nays,
and rs senators signed a public state
ment to the effect that they favored
the measure and would have given
it their support if the obstructive
tactics of a small majority OF their
colleagues, maintained during the
twentv-six consecutive hours OF the
closing session, had not prevented the
taking of vote.
President Wilson issued state
ment to the people of the country EN-
bodying the following facts: That ne
NAV be without power to arm mer-
chant ships and take other steps TO
meet the German submarine menace,
in the absence of authority from con-
press: that it is useless to call an
extra session of congress while the
senate works under the present rules,
which permit small minority to Keep
Il pvIfu from ACT
ing: that the special session OF the
senate now being held should revise
it's rules "to supply the means OF &C.
ton and save the country from dis-
aster, and, finally, that "a Ettle
group of willful men, representing
no opinion but their own, have rem
dered the great government OF the
United States helpless and contempt
ible"
This is severe language, but there
can be no doubt that it reflects the
sentiment of the nation, and that the
attitude of the handful Of obstruc--
tionists in the senate is condemned
and despised by ninety-nine hun
dredths of the patriotic people OF the
United States. me
The twelve senat6lls who opposed
the armed neutrality bill were Clapp
of Minnesota, Cuf-mins OF Iowa,
Gronna of North Dakota, Kenyon OF
Iowa, La Toilette Of Wisconsin, Nor
ris of Nebraska, Works of California,
Republicans; Kirby of Arkansas,
Lane of Oregon, O'Gorman of New
York. Stone of Missouri, Vardaman
/ of Mississippi, Democrats.
! IL, p41A
voted against the bill in the lower
house of congress were Benedict Oh
California, Cary of Wisconsin, Coop
er of Wisconsin, Davis of Minnesota,
Helgesen Of North Dakota, Llndbergh
of Minnesota, Nelson of Wisconsin,
Stafford of Wisconsin, Wilson of Hi
nois, Republicans; Decker of Mis-
souri,. Shackleford of Missouri, Sher-
wood of Ohio, Democrats, and Lon
don of New York, Socialist.
The senate is considering a plan to
amend its rules so that debate can
be limited and a vote on any PROPOSE
ton ordered by two-thirds majority,
and the project is said to have the ap--
proval Of both the Democratic and
Republican caucuses, hence the pres
emf Objectionable rule is almost GER
tain to be changed during the pend
ing session.
Meanwhile it is not unlikely that
the attorney general, to whom Presl-
dent Wilson has applied for an OIL
fetal opinion on the subject, Will 1ind
that the chief executive of the nation
mas the power to take whatever &C
ton may be necessary to protect the
commerce of the country from attack
and destruction on the high seas
without waiting for congressional
sanction.