New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1917-03-03
HOUSE AND SENATE HASTEN
WORK ON WAR PREPA-
RATIONS.

and amazed by he revelation o.
Germany S attempt to unite ia
pan and Mexico to war upon the
United States, Congress today
forgot its differences Of opinion
and 6eQau swinging INTO line be
hind the President.
Senate Republicans abandoned
their general fiibuSter and gave
| Democratic leaders assurances OF
their support to the President i'll
a National emergency.
In the House, without a roll
al, and under special provision
for its immediate consideration
! Representative Floods bill to
clothe the President with author
ity TO deal with the German sub
marine menace by arming ships
was taken up under an agree
ment for vote after three hours
of debate.
President Wilson, however, will
insist OH being empowered to use
"other instrumcntaliCies, " as
proposed in the bill pending III
the Senate.
Favorable Report Made
On Lodge Resolution.
The Senate foreign relations
committee this afternoon ordered
favorable report on the Lodge
resolution proposing that the
President inform the Senate it
the note signed Zimmerman is
authentic. after changing only a
few words.
The committee amended the res
olution by striking out the pro-
vision asking the President for
information as to when the 'Ilm-
norman" letter came into posses
sion of the United States.
Senator Hitchcock reported the
resolution as amended by the for
eign relations committee to the
Senate at three O'Clock, and
asked unanimous consent for It's
immediate consideration. There
was no objection. The measure
was reported by Senator Hitch
cock to allow Chairman Stone to
offer an amendment on the floor.
Senator Stones amendment
would add to the resolution these
words:
"And also to inform the Sen
ate as to whether the information
in his possession respecting the
letter signed Zimmerman orig
mated with any government or
the official Of any government en-
gagged in the present war and II
so to inform the Senate Of the
facts. ;"
Chairman Stone asserted in the
Senate that the Zimmerman
letter must have been obtained
from executive officials Of the
United States government and
rat it was given publication to
affect public opinion or official
opinion or both in the United
States.
At the outset fthe House de-
bate Chairman Flood aroused in
tense enthusiasm on both sides.
Every reference to America S
willingness to protect the rights
of citizens wherever they had a
right to travel was met with a
Nolley of applause. He cited
that authority for the President
to act as suggested in the bill
had been granted to other execu-
tives in 1894, 1898, 1905, 1915,
1889 and 1856, and, incidentally,
attacked the pacifists protesting
against the bill.
The communications Germany
to Mexico and Japan, was
brought up in the Senate immed- !
lately when it convened by SEN
ator Lodge, who introduced his |
resolution.
Senator Swanson of Virginia
said he was authorized to state
that it is substantially correct
Senatar Lafollette of Wiscon-
sin said he would not object to
passage of the Lodge resolution
provided it was amended to ask
the President to state when the
Zimmerman note had gotten into
possession of the United States
rnUapfay1 mont