Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-03-08
BRYAN Objects
TO WAR AFTER
one MANS ACT
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the phraseology Of the bill. Since the !
President has power to call a special |
session of Congress at any time, and
ask for Legislation he desires, the
lingo press will find It difficult to
convince the public that there is any
thing reasonable in the desire to have
Congress in session. Even the most
warlike Of the newspapers will hardly
Insist upon the abolition of Congress
now. whatever they might have the
boidnoss to advocate in time OF war
The second question related to the
merits of the bill. far as | am able
to Judge, the objections urged were
not to giving authority TO the Presi-
dent. but related to the language to
l.be employed, and surely II congress
sional authority is needed. the mem
bers of Congress cannot fairly be de-
MED discretion as to the language to
be employed.
Everyone recognizes that the giving
OF authority involves serious risks.
The public has sucn complete conf
dence in the President that Congress
would not hesitate to corner upon him
any power that he could himself use,
but the President cannot ride on the
ships himself or handle tne guns. He
cannot even direct the man who pulls
the trigger.
The expert gunner will be some
5000 miles from Washington when he
carries out the authorities conferred
He will not only have the experts de-
sire TO test his skill nut he Will be
under the Immediate direction OF a
ship owner who may have large pc
cuniary interest in landing contra
! band cargo.
The President has not asked Congress
TO surrender to him authority to deelar'
war; is il strange that Congress should
hesitate to put an expert gunner IN
, position where. by his mistake. or by
J mistake Of an interested ship owner h
may commit an act Of war;
, The Senate and House did not agre
/ as TO the phrsseology Of the propose
1 bill. The Senate wanted to includ
! "other instrumentalties," which tn
! House thought too vague a description
I Of the power conferred. The House ais
excepted from insurance, merchantmen
, carrying arms and ammunition and
!. minority of the House committee ia
> vored inserting this exception in I'll
! paragraph authorizing the arming
4 ships.
= / am heartily in sympathy with Il
House in Withholding Insurance. fro
ships carrying arms and ammunition
:. and am also in sympathy with the m
. nority of the committee in the beh
that the exception should be extends
to the arming Of ships as well. The bi
in both Senate and House provided f
protection Of Americans only when th'
were lawfully on ships, and it Is +
\ Congress 10 say what is lawful.
y In my opinion, law should be er
acted Withholding clearance from an
!. belligerent ships carrying America
= passengers to Europe. America
papers of the Path of last month, col
.e tanned the following dispatch fro
Halifax, N. S.;
-. Ocean barred to women"
~ Halifax, n. s. Feb. PA numb
Of women and children who arriY
"a here last night on steamship FRO
- the United States for Europe, we
:. taken off today by government a
thorities under a regulation whit
- provides that women and ohildr'
- may not sail from a British port 4
EnSiapd at present.
Three American women aboa
he the liner, which arrived in port la
Nv night, we're permitted to continue q
-. voyage. Clearance papers we're T
- fused until Twenty-Five Canadi'
~ women and children had been T
" moved. They we're taken ashore
he tugs"
..' II Great Britain will not allie
- British women and children to 81
,ts on a British ship bound for Englar
ITO why should the United States all'
American women and children.
even American men, to sail on a
We belligerent ships going into I
= danger zone?
o. II will be noticed that the Half
IA dispatch says that three Americ
n women were allowed TO proceed"
course the British officials had
rs. authority to remove American y
OF men. but why should the Unit
Ia States allow the owner of a bellig
&C. ent ship to safeguard a contraha
cargo with American women q
children or even American men?
And. why should our Governm
permit the United States TO be dra
into this war by the follies Of 6
M American citizen who so disrega
Al his country's welfare as to ira
upon belligerent ship. whether
pleasure or for profit?