New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-13
Arriving SHIPS
SPLITS CONGRESS
Senator Reed Says He
Prefers a Fight to a
Massacre
LA TOILETTE HEADS
MINORITY OPINION
Will Advocate Measure
Prohibiting Guns on
American Vessels
HMM Inc rrlbuns Burc.ul

I prefer not 10 luIhlSh al wv
ourselves. ] would like the other fell
low to furnish little Of it,"
This frank comment by Senator
James A. Reed, Of Missouri, when
asked whether he approved the pro
posal 70 prevent the srming Of Amer'-
can ships for protection against SUD
marines expresses the majority opinion
of both houses Of Congress as 1t STANDS
to-day. -,.u
There is a very fair-sized minority
opinion, typifed by the resolution IN
troduced to-day by Senator La Toilette
If Wisconsin. which declares 1t 70 DO
unlawful for American ships TO 90
srned. This comes from one wing OF
The element which just year ago sur
fered such a severe panic at the 1iine
Of the armed ship crisis ana oro"s"'
forth the McLemore resolution
Careful investigation in both houses
indicates that the pacifst strength Is
not as strong as it was at that Tune
Certainly there is nothing like so much
fear Of getting into war with Germany
ov as there was then. So panic
s,-icten was the House at that tme'
onraventlv. that Speaker Champ OlsrA
and Floor Leader Kitchin assured tne
President the McLemore resolution
would PASS by two or three TO one
Vet when the vote came, after the
President had exerted his influence ana
when there had been little time ior
retfeetion. the resolution was taoleo oy
bic majority.
Senate Vote Restraints
The huge vote in the Senate last
weeks to endorsing the fresi-
dents action in breaking of relations
with Germany is a restraining 1ae'
which was not present during the agl-
tation of year before
The La Toilette resolution on when
tho Wisconsin Senator will speak IN
day or two, is as follows; -,.,,,
sResolved. That it shall be unlsw1uI
% a time when the United States Is
not at war for any merchant vessei o.
Inc United States to be armed ana 70
denar+ from port of the United States
or anv Of its territories or possesslons,
for a port of any other country 10
colonies or possessions. -
Mr.. La Follette's speech IS alm0s1
certain to precipitate debate IN Lne
senate. Many Senator'S to-day, eitneI
through friendship for the Wisconsin
Senator or from unwllilnghess 800
nut in a position which they leaIeu
might be construed as critcising the
President's present wstchtul waiting
attitude. were not willing to come out
With their real views on the sltuatioh'
but privately they intimated that Ter
many will be shown the real temper Oh
The limited States if Mr.. La Toilette
forces a vote on his resolution.
Senator Opposes clubbing
"The President must take firm
stand with Germany" declared very
prominent Democratic Senator to-day
''No such quibbling as was resorted 70
in the Mexican situation Will co. ne
will lose my support and that OF many
other Administration Senators he
. does not take a strong stand. Also,
4 we ought 10 be doing something TO
get ready for war, for we are surely
drifting in that direction
Mr.. La Toilette was asked by me
Tribune correspondent II he meant By
his resolution that ne thought Amer
lean ships ought 70 remain IN port.
81 am not saying that" he replied.
But il you do not wish them TO be
armed, would you advise their owners
10 send them 10 sea defenoeless' IN
view Of the German threats" be was
asked.
"All will say at this time Is that
h. "
armed" he replied.
II don't see that the La Toilette
resolution would save any lives or
property II carried out" said Senator
Reed. "As ! understand it, the Ger
mans will submarine 3 ship that Is not
armed lust as quickly as ono which -
armed. IL ] were on such a ship /
would feel a great deal better II we
could at least take a shot at the at
lacking submarine. ] would rather u
be a fight than massacre. ! don't
want TO furnish all the blood for the
wzllowfng.'
CHAIRMAN Stone of the Foreign Re
lationS Committee was as reticent as
psual after he received large delegs-
ION OF uacihgtM to-day, who urged that
TOO proud 20 fight was a prSise-
worthy sentiment, that patriotism was
a relic Of the DARK ages, and that the
Brotherhood OF man was the only thing
hat counted.
Good Speech BY Old Lady
There was one old LADY, he said.
with a twinkle, that made a pretty
good speech. II / was running for
something, l would Ike % have her
speak for me"
did you give them any assurance
that wo would keep out OF war" no
was asked. Il didn't say anything" be
said. Il Just did like this"-at which
ne bowed with pleasant smile In sew
eral directions as an actor acknowledge
ing applause.
"Wili you permit vote on tho Ia
Toilette resolution" he was asked.
Il suppose Mr.. la Toilette will wish
TO speak on H." he said. after that |
suppose IL will 90 20 our COMMITTEES for
confederation
Tho food Of German and pacihst
propaganda, some Of which takes an
almost unprintsble form, continues
With curious irregularity. Some SEN
ators ard Representatives are simply
being deiuged. Others are getting
quite a lot, and some are escaping al
most entirely. There Is a triekle OF
letters reproaehing some Senators and
Hepressntatives for not being willing
20 20 in with the Allies, "agalnst our
common enemy--Germany," but this Ia
obviously individual initiative in each
case, whereas the German and pacihst
letters and kilograms abound with
ideaticai phraIes, and IN many in