Arizona republican., 1917-03-04

reason to lean upon the strong shoul -ders of Johnny Bull?" asked Senator Stone "Whence came this impulse of dominating affection?"
 When he concluded Senator Stone had been talking for four and a half hours.
 Senator Sutherland, republican, of Utah, supported the bill, but declared the president already had authority to protect American citizens on American ships, just as he had power to repel invasion without consulting congress.
 Senstor Jones declared the neu- trality pill was the most momentous measure presented to congress since the Civil war. He said that senators should rot be criticized for desiring 10 discuss 1t fully He said Ee wanted ito stand by the president, notwith- standing the fact that the president seemed to manifest no desire to stand by congress"
 He found it difficult to believe, he saidA that the president, as reported, die not want congress on his hands in the present crisis.
 If We want the president to arm American ships and sink German sub- marines, We should direc; him to do so. not pass discretion and responsi- bility decision on to him" said Sena- tor Jones.
 The allies. he said. had closed the seas and if they had not sunk any American ships in their barred zone IL was only because the ships hac not gone there. Senators Sterling and Nelson objected, saving that the allies in their blockade had not observed international law In reply Senator Jones cited the blockade of Greece reading reports of resulting starva- ton in that country ard of the sink ing of Greek ships
 This shows hat England would, | if necessary do the same thing Ger many is doing." he continued "The allies have no more regard for rights of neutrals than Germany. unless it ! Is necessary for their preservation "
 At 10 D. m. Senator CumDns took ! the floor to make q long speech against the bill. He said there had ] been persistent attempts to distort'' 1 the attitude of the measure by op- | porents and that he based his op- ! position upon constitutional objec- tions against abandoning to the presi- dent the war making powers of con gress.
 Tt is a cowardly IS well as an
 unconstitutional act for congress tC
 divest itself" he said Congress will
 follow the president and the people will follow him in aany relation he
 may establish under the law and tho
 constitution. The watchword of tn,
 time should be changed q little I
 shonld now be stand hy the govern.
 ment instead of stand by the presi
 dent or 'stanG by congress-
 ! look upon German submarine war
 fare on merchant ships as unspeak
 ably atrocious. l have no words O
 justification for the practice of the i'm
 perial government of Germany in thi
 regard. l have no word of justifica . tion for the British act in spreadini explosive mines over the high seas" x Favoring arming. of merchantmen Q Senator Cummins said he would ex
 pect them to sink German submarine Z on sight providing they carried n 2 munitions.
 "Arming them is not an act of wal r but of defense.'' he said. German 2 might declare war as q result. but W i must meet that issue" Y Parenthetically he said Great Britail l had violated all laws of nations an S interfered with our commerce nor - vastly than Germany, although not s 2 murderously."
 2 The manifesto follows: | The undersigned United State l senators favor the passage of Senat
 Bill S322 to authorize the president O l. the United States to arm America x merchant vessels. A similar bill al . ready has passed the house of repre- ] sentajives by vote of 403 to 13. In E der the rules of the senate allowin i unlimited debate 1t now appears to b
 impossible to obtain a vote prior [ r noon March 1. 1917, when the sessio . of congress expires.
 l We desire the statement entered | n the record to establish the fact tha g he senate faNors the legislation an D would pass 1t if 2. vote could be ob [ mined"