The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-27
Cost Lives of 10 Americans.


Washington, Feb. 2T.-While de-
tails of the deaths of ten Americans
in the unwarned destruction of the
Laconia began coming in today, the
opposition in congress to giving Pres
ident Wilson the broad authority to
deal with the submarine menace
began taking definite form and
showed considerable strength.
At the White House, it was made
known authoritatively that the de-
struction of the Laconia was a clear
cut and ruthless violation of Ameri-
can rights and life. a demonstration
of what might be expected in the fu-
ture, of sufficient force to hurry con-
gress into clothing the president with
full authority to meet the peril.
Nevertheless. the house foreign af-
fairs committee after debating the
Flood bill, which has the backing of
the president, decided that the broad
powers to be conferred by the use of
the phrase "other instrumentalities"
should be modified and that the pres
| ident should be limited to using the
naval forces of the United States in
| Guiding the naval militia"
Democrats Join Opposition.
In the senate foreign relations COM
mittee Republicans voted solidly
against giving the president blanket
! authority, and it was reported they
drew support from three Democrats.
Senators Stone, Hitchcock and O'Gor-
man. No formal action was taken in
either committee. Chairman Flood of
the house committee took to the
| White House proposed amendments.
including one to prohibit arming of
ships carrying munitions or contra-
| band and the other to limit the presi-
dents authority.
Administration officials considered
| the attitude of congress in the fact
! of the Laconia case, of sufficient inn
! portance to discuss sending an official
4 report on the killing of the Amerf-
\ cans to congress in some official way.
There are only five days remaining
| for this present congress to give the
president the powers he asked yester-
| day when he told a joint session that
| this nation has found it necessary to
take drastic measures to protect
| American lives and American prop
| erty against the depredations of a
ruthless, internationally illegal sub
| marine sea warfare.
Many congress heads. including
even those who do not agree alto
gether with the president in. his
course, pointed to the fact that will
son had opposition beforehand he
has always got what he asked
Some Opposition Apparent.
| Congress generally plainly showed
/ early lOudy II uOtS not IKE the preSI-
| dents request for "other Instrument
! talities'' than guns for American craft
gunners and money mainly for insur-
ance. wherewith to meet international
possibilities.
| That the house foreign affairs COM
mittee would report today seemed
very likely. At the same time the
rules committee was ready to report
out rule to smooth the way and
| shorten the time to the minimum re-
quired for considering the bill.
To Redraft Whole Bill.
Later the senate committee an
nounced the decision to re-draft the
| whole bill to make it more explicit
| Tho right to arm ships, it was said
would take the form of authorizing
owners of all American ships to arm
and defend them and authorizing the
government to supply guns and gum
| ners for this purpose