Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-03-04
SMALL GROUP OF
 SENATOR'S FAIL WILSON
(COntinued from page oneh

SeudtOIS IdVOT tHe passage OI D. D. S,322, to authorize the president of the United States 10 arm merchant vessels. A similar bill already has passed the house of representatives, by vote of 4O3 to 13.
 Under tEe rules of the senate, al- lowing unlimited debate, it now ap- pears to be impossible to obtain a vote prior to noon. March 4, 1917, when the session of congress ex- pires.
 "We desire this statement entered into the record, 10 establish the fact that the senate favors the legislation and would pass it, if vote could be obtained"
 Sixty-nine of the 96 senators had signed the manifesto at a late hour. There were still some. who were known to favor it, who were absent. The signers were:
 Democrats - Ashurst, Bankhead, Beckham, Broussard. Chamberlain, Chiffon. Culberson, Fletcher Hard wick. Hitchcock, Hollis, Hughes, Husting, Johnson of South Dakota, Johnson of Maine, James, Kern, Lee of Tennessee, Lee of Maryland, Lewis, Martin, Myers, Newlands. O'Gorman, Overman, Owen, Phelan, Pullman, Pomerene, Ransdell Robinson, Sauls- bury, Shafroth, Sheppard. Shields Simmons, Smith of Georgia, Smith of Maryland, Smith of South Carolina, Swanson, Thomas, Underwood, Walsh and Williams; A.
 Republicans-Borah, Brady, Bran degee. Clark, Colt Curtis, Dillingham;, Fall, Fernald, Harding, Lodge, McCum- Der, Mclean, Nelson, Oliver, Page, Poindexter, Sherman, Smith of iMichi- gan, Shoot, Sterling Sutherland, Townsend, Wadsworth and Watson; 25.
 Those who were present and did not sign the manifesto were as follows:
 Democrats-Kirby, Lane, Maritime, Reed, Jones, Thompson, Tillman and Vardaman.
 Republicans-Clapp, Cummins, Du- POnt, Gronna, Kenyon, LaFollette, Lippitt, Norris, Penrose, Warren, Weeks and Works.
 Stone Explains Attitude. Democratic leaders appealed to Re publican leaders to aid them in swing ing the few into line, pleading that in the present crisis failure of the bill would mean national disgrace. Fol the most part the Republican leaders showed willingness to cooperate ir hastening action, but as the debate proceeded last night without tangible evidence of a break in the opposition the administration senator's grew more and more dubious about the prospects for passage.
 The embarrassment of the Demo crats was increased by a dramatic speech by Senator Stone, chairman o1 the foreign relations committee, oppos- ing the bill as a war measure. That however, was the only evidence of de lection in the Democratic ranks. The course the president pursued with Mexico and during the European war was pointed to by Senator Stone as proof of the presidents desire te keep the nation out of war.
 Despite clamor intrigue and sub terfuge," he said, '.to entrap him into an act of war against European power, he has stood firm as rock. would, therefore, rather trust him thar all the official weddings about him who daily fly their kites to see whicl
 way the wind blows. If I thought thi only of faith and trust in him, woult not hesitate, but believe the bill t.
 be violation of the constitution ant
 destructive of the most importan
 power vested in congress--the war making power, and that its passag
 would establish q precedent fraugh
 with peril to our form of govern ment."