The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-08
CONFER WITH WILSON

early today at the White House with | Senators owen, Reed, Walsh, Swanson, l James and Hoke Smith, the committee named by the Senate democratic caucus, and discussed the proposed changes in the l Senate's rules which would prevent un- ! limited debate and flibustering such as 1 killed the armed neutrality bill. After the democratic senators left the White House they renewed their confer. ence with the republican cloture commit tee.
 Meanwhile the democratic caucus ad- journed after electing Senator Hitchcock as vice chairman and ex-officio member of the steering committee. With Sena- tor Martin as chairman of the commit tee, the following senators were named: Williams, James Reed, Simmons. Smith of Georgia, Walsh, Thomas, Cham berlain, Owen and Robinson. They went to work at once to reorgan- ize the Senate standing. committees. When the Senate met Senator Walsh of Montana introduced resolution to provide for readoption of the old Senate rules, with the exception of the rule concerning precedence of motions, and for the appointment by the vice president of special committee to revise that rule. The committee would consist of four dem ocrats and three republicans. 1 Senator Walsh did not ask for imme- 1 diate action on the resolution, but was accorded the privilege of addressing the Senate regarding it by unanimous con- sent
 l Senator Walsh on the Senate floor ar
 gued that each new Senate was a sepa-
 rate entity and that it should enact it's own rules.
 Senator Walsh declared "a genuine | alarm pervades the country lest some en- 1 emy may in the near future attack us"
 r,r,ix, be in position to take immediate ac- tion in such an emergency. Senator Walsh l continued:
 ] Tt is scarcely conceivable that war 1 should be precipitated or be impending without an appeal from the President for some hurried action by Congress. Such an appeal comes to this body It
 hnds a ready response except from a small coterie of senators who spell each others name on the floor with verbal shells until the shock is felt at the gates of our big cities and is blown back. It
 must be misguided peace-at-any price
 man who believes that war is inevitable
 merchandise and continue to hope that
 the awful horror of armed conflict may
 be promoted and then pJacated by peace
 ful overtures.
 CIVIL WAR RECALLED Millions of sagacious men believed in lSb1 that the south would not fight, and others that the north would never resort
 to arms. It Is not inconceivable that the obstructionists filibusterers. may be &C., tuated by traitorous sentiments. The rev olution had it's Arnold. I trust I offend
 no sensibilities in referring to the fact that in 1861 10 or more members of this body were expelled for treason "A vice president who for four years
 presided over the Senate was indicted
 and tried for treason, and a Senator,
 charged with another grave offense in this
 very capitol escaped expulsion by but
 one vote The Senate had already al
 that early day expelled one of it's mem
 bers for perfidious negotiations with the ? enemies of his country We are all !. sworn to bear true faith and allegiance
 to the United States-a needless oath un-
 less it be that some of us may conceiv- ably require the aid of heaven to keer us true.
 What say you, can the Senate make
 a rule under which 1t may be held at bay
 by treachery until foreign foe shall hay,
 prevailed over supine nation? I repeat
 a rule of the Senate the effect of whicl
 is or may be to deprive it of the powe
 under any circumstances Of bringing de
 bate to a close, is void.
 d T am not one of those who would ruth