The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-07

.ireiy eliminate the senatc's coveted
i aniimited debate,
when the president today called OF
Z his cabinet meeting. Washington had
\, been convinced that he was readN 10
move at once to arm ships Seci cary
81 State Lansing and Attorney-Sen-
eral Gregory had submitted their
views on the legal phases Of TIE cues
lion 1t was learned that Secretary
Lansing, before the president in his
original address to congress nal eN-
pressed his confidence that he ma me
necessary authority without congress
ssonai affirmation. had dtrested all OF
the legal presidents This Included
the statute Of 1919. which has since
been used 10 demonstrate that me
nresieent has not the needed al mort
u Rut the dismissal Of the cabin IT
changed the outlook. The expected
order TO the navy department was not
Forthcoming
President Wilson left the WHITE
House and went TO the state depart
.nent, whore for nearly an hour no
went over the situation with Score
tsry Lansing lie fhnn went ~ 'he
navy depa ri ~ mt whore, with Score
tary Of tho NAVY Daniels be discuss
cd the fraI technical details OF 'he
plans to arm ships-when tho order
is given. When he returned to the
White House Il was stated there would
he no announcement IN tho sINt"Ct
In the meantime tho WHITE House ha !
been notified 81 the frightening pros
poets for cloture action In the SEN
ate
Fight Begins In Senate.
The fight ever armed neutrality he-
gan as soon as the senate w"f- San
ators who had been denominatei nv
President Wilson ~ a little GROUP -
wilful men" who had made tho great
government Of the United states
helpless ard contemplate" began
their defense Senator Kenyon, OF
iowa. in voice tNat shook with pas
sion aroused 70 "1rnrd as false the
statement ~ anyone v.ro says | NIL
bustered against tha BILL
THE plan een,~s 10 ne" he said.
'qo i~c1v1n ga the hibuster all who
refuses 20 y.ul a paoer supporting
the bill. ! did not talk one minute
against tho measure, would have
voted for Il IN It's anai form trust
ing 10 the president not 70 arm n1u-
nrion ships The statement TINT I
ATTEMPTED 20 h'or% vote on the bill
is uncpa'ifedfv false"
yareaman THO. Makes pi~esoV-ni
Senator Na-daman. Of Mississ'ppi,
disavawed any intention Of flibuster-
ing declaring he had used only six
teen minutes OF the senato's tim" on
the bill He offered to cooperate to
secure cloture.
A complete endorsement Of the
presto ent's attack or the fl,huster was
voiced ny Senator williams ~ Ms
sissipni who declared that the Al
buster had made the country CON
tenn rtihie before tho world in a great
crisis
The clotrre supporters made their
fret open efforts when Senator Owen.
or Oklahoma fought to prevent ANY
rules OF the previous CONGRESS being
enforced in the present senate.
The senate as y legislative uodv.
Is not continuous he said TT Is
not bound nv the rules of any pre-
>ious snnate"
Tire aisrute FRAT followed was
finally settled nv unanimous agree
asent To pass the resolution which
started 1t, naming a committee TO
notify the president that the senate
was ready for business Senators
Martin Walsh ard Warren were
named. and when threw returned they
reported that the president had saii
maj The. wdnd undoubtedly have
sar,e further communication to mako
10 the senate There was no indica-
ton OF what the nature OF the COM
fnuneation would be.
Senator Lodge ranking Republican
on the foreign relations committee
ard one OF the strongest supporters
al the armed neutrality bill endcavor-
I'd TO reintrofuce the measure In the
senate. Vice President Marshall ruled
that The measure could not be In
troduced because the senate was not
IN session for regular legislative bust
riess Senator Lodge insisted that tho
ssrate could pass the bill and wait for
the house TO act but the vire- rrcs-
dent refused to reconsider his de-
c}sicn The senate adjourned for the
FAY, with the dispute still on, and
an effort NAV he made tomorrow to
force the measure into the legislative
Dachinery