Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-02-28
SENATORS AGREE
ON Bill TO give
WILSON POWER
Committee Votes to Report the
Measure for Aiming
Trade Ships.
OPPOSITION BY La TOILETTE
President Follows Proceedings in Con.
gress and Sends Cabinet Members
to Confer With the
Leaders.

x Washington, Feb. 2S.-The senate
committee on foreign relations unani-
mOusly reported bill for the arma-
ment Of American merchantmen, con-
ferring authority upon the president
to employ such instrumentalities and
methods as he may deem necessary to
protect American ships and American
citizens and granting him credit of
$1O0,OOO,O0O for these purposes.
The house committee held two long
sessions during the day and then adj
journed until late today.
The senate will begin consideration
of the bill Immediately after the reve-
nue. bill is disposed of. The bill will be
kept before the senate until it is
passed. There will be opposition Of
fered by Senator La Toilette and one
or two others, and they are hopeful Of
filibustering until the expiration of the
session, thereby precipitating an extra
session.
To Hurry Bill in House.
The house is expected to pass the bill
shortly after it shall be reported by the
house foreign affairs committee. With
this committee during the day sat the
rules committee. The latter commit
tee is preparing to bring in a rule lin
iting debate, fixing the time for vote
and preventing the consideration of a
whole stack Of amendments, such as q
general embargo, which are in course
of preparation.
Changes in Senate Bill.
The measure provided in the first
section '"That the president be and
hereby is authorized and empowered
to supply merchant ships, the prop
erty Of citizens of the United States
and bearing American registry, with
defensive arms should it, in his judgs
ment, become necessary for him to do
so, and also with the necessary am
munition and means of making use of
them in defense against unlawful at
tack %
The committee bill provides 'That
the commanders and crews of all
merchant vessels of the United
States and bearing the registry Of the
United States are hereby authorized
to arm and defend such vessels against
unlawful attack and the president Is
hereby authorized and empowered to
supply ssicR Vessels With defensive
arms fore and aft and also with the
necessary ammunition and means Of
making use of Them +'.s2s 15 W
Must Wait for Request.
The president, under the senate bill,
therefore, cannot at his option arm
merchantmen. He must, however, rec
.ognfxe the right of American ships to
arm, and he may, upon theirsre4pest,
furnish them with guns, ammunition
and gunners.
What senator's and members of the
house objected to particularly was
that provision of the first section of
the administration bill authorizing
and empowering the president to
employ such other instrumentalities
and methods as may in his Judgment
and discretion seem necessary and
adequate to protect such ships and
the citizens of the United States in
their lawful and peaceful pursuits on
the high seas.
That provision appears in the COM
mittee bill exactly az wOrded In the
administration measure. The credit
of $1Oe OO0,O 600 is extended through the
sale of per cent bonds, but the COM
mittee Dill specifically limited to $780,
100000 the amount available for war
risk insurance,
Committee Backs Wilson.
The senate committee considered
for several hours the meaning of the,
Of the administration bill
and finally began consideration Of
the amendments offered by Senator's
Boruh of Idaho and Sutherland Of
Utah, Intending to clarity and RE-
strict the presidents authority under,
the first section. Il. Ia
Tie president followed the proceed
ings in congress with the greatest at
tention. At his instance Postmaster
General BurlesOnr YVES in consultation
during the day with Chairman Flood
of the house committee and Chair
man Stone of the senate committee.
Later in the afternoon Secretary Tu-,
multy was in conference with Demo-
cratic senator's.
Wilson Is Confident.
AS result, the president is salts
fed That congress will give him the
authority he seeks. The house bill
may differ in one or two respects
from the senate bill- In this case the
measure will go to conference, where
it win be worded in a fashion to suit
the chief executive.
Suffrage Loses in Tennessee.
Nashville. Tenn. Feb. 2S.-Legisla-
A1l fire..