The Washington herald., 1917-02-27
DEMOCRATS CALL
HASTY MEETING
To Make PLANS
Representative Flood Intro
duces Bill Giving President
Authority Requested.
PREDICT EXTRA SESSION
Republicans Strongly Opposed to Civ
ing Executive Free Rein in
Emergency.

A sadly divided and bewildered
Congress last night halted all ac-
ton on President Wilson'S demand
for blanket authority to protect
American life and property on the
high seas. in his discretion.
| Hastily called conferences of Dem
ocratc leaders in the House and
Senate. m which Secretary of the
Treasury McAdoo and Postmaster
General Burleson participated. post
Poned all effort at action until to-
day. after reviewing the tangled
legislative situation and finding Wig
,rous Republican opposition to the
Presidents demand.
Meetings of the House Foreign AZ
fairs and the Senate Foreign Rela-
tons committees. called for last night
to take up the Presidents proposals,
were put of until today.
FLOOD RESOLUTION.
The only progress made toward
getting the Presidents demand into
law was the introduction of a bill
embodyins the authority asked. for
by Chairman Flood Of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee. The in
PRODUCTION of the bill at once crys-
tallized a strong Republican opposi-
ton to the measure.
The Republican view that Com
gress should remain in Washington
to keep watch on the international
situation was made clear in a resolu-
ton framed by Representative Fess.
of Ohio. This measure would call
the next Congress in extraordinary
session carly in April, under the con-
stitutional provision authorizing Con-
gress to FIX the date of its meeting.
Leaders last night declared that if the
Republicans persisted in this attitude
they could easily force an extra ses-
sion by blocking the imperative leg
islstion now tangled up before Con-
gress.
LEADERS APPREHENSIVE.
In the Senate the possibility of a
successful filibuster made administra-
ton leaders apprehensive. There was
decided sentiment last night to jam
| the Flood bill through the House
with the full administration force be-
hind it, and then let the Senate Re-
publicans accept the responsibility
for blocking it by flibuster if they
choose. The Republican objections
| thority were:
That II authorizes the arrlinE OF mer-
chantmen when ii becomes necessary"
leaving the necessity TO be decided by the
President.
That 1t would authorize the President
70 use other instIumentallties and
methods in his dis >retion.
These provisions, they declared, were
too broad. They asserted that no one
, could tell what the President might or
might not do under them, and that the,
language gave President Wilson all Of
the power which Congress itself should
, exercise. one group OF objcCtors declared
that they wanted some assurance that
the power would be used IL ii was given.
MrmOrandum Submitted.
The Flood resolution was followed
closely by. n memorandum submitted TO
the Congress leaders by the President.
.nj used the language employed in the
residents add-ess 20 Congress in out
, lining the authority IL be granted. 1t
read:
That thc President Of the United States
: be and he IS hereby authorized and en-
powered TO supply merchant ships the
property Of citizens Of the United States,
and bearing American registry, with de-
fensive arms. should il in his Judgment
Lecome necessary for him 10 do so. and
also with the necessary ammunition and
means OF making use Of them in defense
against any unlawful attack: and that he
be and is hereby empowered and author
lied to use such other InstrumentaIfties
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
100000, 900 suEEested.
The sum of S1oO 900 Is hereby appro-
priated out Of any money in the Treasury