The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1917-03-09
TEXT OF PRES. WILSON'S
STATEMENT

The following is the text OF Presi
dent Wilson's statement respecting
the failure OF The Senate to pass the
armed neutrality bill:
The termination OF the last session
Of the 6fth Congress by constitution
nj limitation disclOses a situation un-
PARALLEL in the history of the coun-
try. perhaps unparalleled IN the his
tory OF any modern government In
/ the immediate presence OF "a crisis
iraught with more subtle and far
reaching possibilities of national dan
ger than any other the government
! has known within the whole history
OF it's international relations, the Con-
gress has been unable 10 act either
| 10 safeguard the country or TO vim
! dicate the elementary rights Of it's
! citizens. More than 500 of the 53l
members Of the two houses were
ready and anxious to act; the House
OF representatives had acted, by an
! overwhelming majority; but the Sen
ate was unable TO act because a little
group Of II senators had determined
that II sho6id not.
The Senate has no rules by which
debate can be limited Of brought TO
an end. no rules by which dilatory
tactics OF any kind can be prevented.
A single member can stand in the
way of action If he have but the
physical endurance. The result in
this case is a complete paralysis alike
OF the legislative and OF the execu-
tive branches OF the government
This inability OF the Senate to act
has rendered some Of the most
necessary legislation OF the session
| impossible, at time when the need
for il was most pressing and most
evident. The bill which would have
permitted such combinations of cap
ital and of organization in the export
and import trade OF the country as the
, circumstances OF international compe-
tition have made imperative-a bill
which the business judgment of the
whole country approved and demand
ed-has failed.
Effect Of Opposition.
The opposition OF one or two SEN
ators has made 1t impossible to in
crease the membership Of the inter-
state commerce commission or IN
give II the altered organization noces-
sary for its efficiency. The Conser-
vation bill which should have re-
lfdStu lOI immaculate use lnt 1n!0eT'l
resources which are still locked up in
the public hands, now that their re-
lease is more imperatively necessary
than ever. and the bill which would
have made the unusual water power
or the country Immediately available
for industry have both failed. though
they have been under consideration
! throughout the sessions OF two Con-
| 1, 4
House of Representatives.
The appropriations for the army
have failed. along with the appropria-
tions for the civil establishment OF
the government, the appropriations
for the military academy at West
Point and the general deficiency bill.
1t has proved Impossible to extend the
powers of the shipping board to meet
the special needs Of the new situa-
alton into which our commerce has
| been forced or to increase the gold
reserve OF our national banking sys-
! tenn to meet the unusual circum-
| stances OF the existing financial situ-
alton.
II would not cure the difficulty TO
call the Goth Congress in extraordinary
! session. The paralysis OF the Senate
would remain. The purpose and the
! spirit of action are not lacking now
! The Congress Is more definitely unit
| ed in thought and purpose at this mo-
ment, | venture to say, than It has
| been within the memory of any man
now In It's membership. There Ia
not only the most united patriotic
! purpose; but the detectives members
have in view are perfectly clear and
| 4 G,,IN Al,
unless its leaders can obtain unani
nous consent Its majority is pow
erless, helpless. In the midst Of A
crisis of extraordinary peril, whom
only definite and decided action can
make the nation safe or shield it from
war itself by the aggression of 9TH
ers. action Is impossible.
Although as matter of fact the
nation and the representatives Of the
nation stand back OF the executive
with unprecedented unanimity and
spirit. the impression made abroad
will OF course be that II Is not so. and
that other governments NAV act as
thev please without fear that this
Government can do anything at all.
We cannot explain. The explanation
is incredible.
| ne StudlP VI the tnilPu States ~
the only legislative body in the world
which cannot act when its majority ia
ready for action. A little group ot
! wilful obstructionists. representing
no opinion but their own. has rem
dered the great government Of ths
United States helpless and contempt
ible.
Tho remedy There is but one
remedy. The only remedy is that the
rules Of the Senate shall he so altered
that II can act. The country can he
elied upon 20 draw the moral. I be-
lieve that tho Senate can he relied
upon 10 supply the means OF action
and save the country from disaster.
~ tho same time the President au-
thorized the further statement that
what rendered tho situation even
more grave than had been supposed
was the discovery that. while the
President under his general constitu-
tional powers could do much of what
, he had asked the Congress 10 en-
power nim 10 do. n had been found
that there were certain old statutes