Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-06
fRr A,sncln,on I.res.

Rs Associated Press.
WAS n -; r ~. March with
prcsiicn, WILSON'S demand for a
change IN Senate rules to make iin-
possihl. in the futur" such nlhus,cr
as tho one by Which a handful of mom-
hers dcfcHtrd tho armed neutrality bill
fresh in their minds. senate Democrats
wiil caucus tu-morrow on program
fv, The special session, TN" session
was called primarily 10 pass upon APP
l,niutmcntS to unic,.
senator owen. wh" has bocn tho chief
prepayment or :. limited debate rule FOR
many years. - prepared 10 briuS thu
subject nf cloturc hcfor" the caucus.
and ihiriy-thrrc Senators. most OF
them Democrats. have signed an agree
incnt 10 support the rule he proposes
lt the caucus decides TO stand behind
,iiis proposal. and make II tho chief
Issue ~ tho session. tho senate may
spend III" summer ~ Washington. in
stead OF dispusing of its work IN a
few days.
Many Senators whr havo participated
in various such ughts IN the past he
licNe il would IL extremely difficult
To get tho Scnat" L. arrcc t. q limited
debate rule
RErI nLIttNs PREDICT
MINORITY OI'poSIrIoN
Republicans IN thc cioakrooms to-
DAY predicted that III. minority party.
almost L. man. would oppose such a
ruic, and openly declared there would
bc Democrats 10 side with them.
I'll. hiGEcat preScn; nssc; II those
who wish 4 change III the rules is tho
President and tho public opinion his
statement dcuouucing tho present rules
is expected TO arouse
Never before has Il President openly
aligned himself III its favor. nor has
<rpubiic attention generally been called
TO What he considers fault III It's
method Of procedure. The President is
expected 10 continue his insistencc for
u change.
The Republicans aside from any per-
sonal views they may have about tho
Presidents statement and its intent to
for.c change in ,hc procedure Of III.
Legislative branch, viii oppose tho pro-
posed rule Just as mincritics always
oppose H. because unlimited debate is
ono of their most potent weapons. The
progressive Republicans who part;ci-
patrd in the killing Of tho armed ncu-
iraiity hill arc understood TO bc cx-
cccdiuSly bitter over the Presidents
statement dcnouncins them.
There nr" sixteen new Senators. and
how they vii stand on a cloturc rule
nobody definitely knew Tonight. 1t is
regarded as probable that FOR the time
being they viii for tho most part, line
up with their respective parties. and
apparently their coming will make
little difference in rules fight.
MAY INVOKE: VERY TACTICS
PRESIDENT WANTS TO HAR
" thirty or forty Senators arc OPP
posed to change. since tho Senate
must operate under the rules that now
exist until it can change them, they
would he able To talk about AS long as
tho Senate cares TO stay in session
invoking the very tactics which the
President wants To bar in tho future
Unless the rules fight comes up at
once. the Senate probably will proceed
when tho President returns for con-
nrmation most of the l.400 nominations
which failed last session.
Few of them will lead to prolonged
discussion, except that of Dr. Cary r.
Grayson. the Presidents naval aid, to
be medical director and rear-admiral
which was fought in the last session
The trcaty to pay Colombia S15,000.-
600 for the separation of Panama will
lead to long discussion il taken up, and
since treaties must he ratified by a
two-thirds vote, there is not great
deal OF hope that II will go through.
SEEKS TO FIN STATUS
OF POWER no ARM SHIPS
Action by President Wilson i'm the
German situation was postponed to-
day, pending decision by his legal ad-
risers whether lie has power to arm
American merchantmen. in spite of the
failure OF Congress TO confer such au-
thority.
The question was referred to Attor-
neS-General Gregory and Secretary
Lansing. and probably will be decided
In time for consideration at ,to-mor-
rows Cabinet mectinE--the first to be
held in the new administration. The
President has placed before the Senate
tho responsibility for changing its
rules during tho special session begun