The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-03-04
La Toilette and Norris
Lead Pacifist Group Op-
posing Defence.
STONE ALSO COMES
OUT AGAINST IT
Says Power Asked by Plesi-
dent Usurps Right of
Congress.
EFFORTS TO FORCE
COMPROMISE FAIL
Wilson to Arm American
Liners After Congress
Adjourn>.

NAohlNHIoN, MaTCn j.-fllDuster-
ing tactics, resorted to all day and
with renewed vigor this evening by
little group Of pacifists in the Senate,
placed the fate of the Senate armed
ship bill distinctly in jeopardy to.
night.
This is the measure on which Presi.
dent Wilson is relying as all answer
to the German challenge. Failure to
pass this measure or one resembling
it before Congress ends at noon to.
morrow will, in the opinion Of the
President and a majority OF Congress.
be fraught with the gravcst conse.
quences to the nation.
Convinced that a few Progressive
Republican Senator'S had determined
10 kill the armed neutrality bill. the
Democrats tonight appealed to some
OF the Republican leaders to negotiate
compromise agreement. The minor
ity leaders we're told that failure Of
the bill not only would be a humilia-
ton to America abroad, but would en-.
courage dissensieN' Wt-isoinc.
way Try UnpreCcdentCJ Action.
Another proposal taken under con-
sideration by the leaders was to force
vote by a motion for tho previous
question. Such move would be un-
precedent in Senate procedure, but to-
night there were conservative Senators
who declared that in this case the end
would Justify the means.
AT midnight Senator Hitchcock made
another futile effort to obtain unani-
nous consent for limitation of debate
and for time to vote. lie proposed to
begin final voting at \. NJ. IAN
overwhelming majority OF the Senate is
ready for action now he said THE
bill passed the House by one of the most
overwhelming rnajor!ties ever recorded
there. | urge Senators to give the Sem
ate an opportunity to express its
opinion
DiSclaiming any desire to flbuster,
Senator Works said that while a Senate
majority undoubtedly favors the bill
majority of the American people oppose
any step which may lead to war. De-
olaring the bills friends had consumed
more time than its opponents he added !:
III it fails 1t may justly bc said that
it was killed by it's friends
Senator Hitchcock then withdrew his
requests and the debate was resumed
While the negotiations continued Re-
publican and Democratic Senators stand.
ing behind the Presidents programme
prepared a manifesto TO be issued To the
public in case the few opponents % the
Dill succeed in preventing Il vote b. noon
Tomorrow
| The manifesto which every senator
| favoring the bill will he asked T.. sign.
sets forth that those who stand behind
the President feel they have been de-
! prived of their votes by tiihusterins
/ tactics, SiNty-eiEht Senators had
signed by midnight, forty three Demo-
orats and twenty-five Republicans
May Act without Congress.
The President undoubtedly If he 20
desires. without action BY Congress. may
authorize the armlng of merchant, ships
and even resort to other measures Of
! defence against German submarines.
IL was learned tonight that II is the
Presidents Intention 10 give orders i'm.
mediately Congress ad!ourns for arming
the ships OF the American Line now In
New York. according to the plan as de.
scribed In THE Sun this morning.
! The virtual aNowal by Germany that
. the zimmerman note was intended
as war measure has given greater
gravity to the situation In the opinion
of the President and his advisers. Yet
i even this failed to deter the group OF six
or seven paciiists from proceeding with
| their plans TO prevent the country GO
ing on record IN support of the Presi-
dents programme for defence.
While refusing to disclose their nlans
or to admit even to their colleagues that
. they were out 10 kill the bill these Sena
tors, chief Of whom appeared to he SEN
ators LA Toilette, Cummins. Gronna and
Norris. appeared to relish the fact they
hold it's fate in their hands and that pa
cifism for once was dominant. Senator
La Toilette spent most of the day In
slumber, sign OF ominous import.
There was no question that the House
was ready, even eager, to pass the bill
now before the Senate. Opposit ion there
has been practically swept away Az
legislation in the Hons" has been fin
ished save for that which Is to come from
the Senate. But in the Senate the de-
bate on the ship bill was holding up the
army bill, the sundry civil bill, the gen
cral deficiency bill and several other
measures some of them almost vital Ia
the conduct OF the Government.
An extra session appeared TO he be-
yond question. This the President will
not call. however, until June, it is be-
lisved
Efforts At Compromise Fail.
Leaders on both sides Of the Senate
nade extraordinary efforts to prevent