Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-27
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contraband. and the other to limit the
Presidents authority.
Administration officials considered
the attitude of Congress, in the face
of the Laconia case, of sufficient i'm
portance to discuss sending an official
report on the killing of the Americans
to Congress in some official way
The Senate committee had decided
to redraft the whole bill and make
it more explicit
The right to arm ships, it was said,
would take the form of authorizing
owners of all American ships to arm
and defend them and authorizing the
government to supply guns and gun
ners for this purpose.
President Wilson and State Depart
ment officials took the position that
no further step would be taken until
Congress has had an opportunity to
act on the Presidents request.
The view prevailed that the sinking
of the Laconia should hasten action by
Congress. The first step of the gov
ernment, it is indicated, will be to fur
nish American ships with guns and
gunners for defensive purposes and in
sure them in the government war risk
bureau.
On the basis of the official reports
the sinking of the Laconia is regarded
as another Lasitania case in princi-
pie, even though fewer lives were lost.
President Wilson, it was said to-
day, is opposed to calling an extra ses-
sion of Congress unless it is absolute
ly necessary. Word has been conveyCd d
to him that the Republicans may fill
buster in an effort TO force an extra
session, but he is hopeful that this in
tention will not be carried out.
Discuss Drafts of Bill
Meetings of the committees of for
eiSn affairs had been called early in
the day to discuss drafts of bill which
would do just what the President ask
ed in his address esterday-empower
him to furnish guns and gunners to
American ships and to employ such
other instrumentalities" as he may
think necessaryDand provide for a bond
issue of 500, 900 to meet the ex-
pense. Every effort will be made by
the Democratic leaders to reach an
agreement with the Republicans on a
measure to be brought into both
houses, although such comments as
have been heard from members of the
minority indicate that this will be a
diAieult task.
The fight probably will begin in the
House, where the bill presented last
night by Chairman Flood of the For
eign Affairs Committee, is expected
to be taken up late to-day or to-mor-
row under a special rule to give, it
right of way over other legislation
and limiting debate
Against Blanket Authority
The chief objection of the Republic
ans is to the phrase "other instrument
talities." Several of the leaders express
willingness to vote for any specific au-
thority sought by the President, but
say they do not want to sign blank
check" Then there are many who
strongly favor directing as we'll as au-
thorizing the arming and protecting of
ships, insisting that the necessity al
ready exists and that the United States
cannot with self-respect wait longer
to assert its right.
p, Back of all their objections most of
the Republicans want an extra ses-
sion and contend that Congress should
not be away from Washington when
the nation is on the brink of war. An
other filibuster in the Senate is threat
ened and the Democrats fear it, al
though the President is represented as
fully confident that the authority he
asks will be granted and that there
will be no extra session.
Laconia May BE Overt Act
Official details of the sinking of the
big Cunard liner Laconia, on which
there were 81 Americans, are awaited
here with grave interest. The first
news of the disaster reached Washing
ton yesterday just as the President
reached the Capitol to deliver his ad-
dress, and some officials were inclined
to think this might prove to be the
overt act" to drive the United States
to hostilities.
To-day's dispatches indicated the
loss of Mrs. Hoy and her daughter, of
Chicago, passengers on the Laconia,
and eight American negroes, firmen
on the vessel, all of whom died of ex-
posure after leaving the ship.
Embodies Wilson's Ideas
Representative Floods bill, which
was before the House Foreign Affairs
Committee to-day, was drafted along
lines of a memorandum left with him
and Senator Oliver of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee yester-
day by President Wilson and conse-
quently embodies the Presidents ideas
of what authority should be granted
by Congress.
In addition to empowering the
President to arm merchant ships and
to employ "other 'instrumentalities /"
and providing $100,000.000 by bond
issue, the bill would permit the Presi-
dent to transfer any part of that sum
to the Federal Bureau of War Risk
insurance, to be used in paying losses
of American ships above $5,000,OO0.
Total payments are limited to that
amount now by the size of the entire
fund. The proposed increase would
be a precaution against the possibil-
ity that If number of ships carrying
Federal insurance were sunk in the
war zone, the government might not
nan-an~ nn-..n,n.