The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1917-02-27
Mr.. WILSON ASKS FOR
AUTHORITY TO ACT
CALLS ON CONGRESS FOR
ARMED NEUTRALITY
Recognizes Gravity of Action
But Will Prepare to Meet
German Menace.

| washington, teD. 2S.-PreSident
wilson today took the inevitable stem
and asked congress for authority TO
use the forces of the United States to
protect American ships and 1;yes
against the German submarine men
ace-to put the nation in a state of
armed neutrality.
The immediate response was ,,o
introduction in the house of bill
approved in advance by the presi-
dent empowering him to furnish guns
and gunners to American merchant
men; to employ such other instru-
hentalities and methods" as NAV he
come necessary and providing for a
SlOO, 100000 bond issue to be used
IN his discretion for war insurance IN
encourage American commerce 70
brave the submarine peril. The bill
may be brought up in the house TO.
morrow with special rules for its i'm.
mediate consideration. A similar
Dill will be considered tomorrow nv
the senate foreign relation commit
tee.
Some Trouble Ahead
lhe presidents long expected ac-
tlon, while received in the main with
expressions of support, threatens to
1orce an extra session of congress
Republicans, disinclined to grant
oianket authority while congress is in
recess, gave evidence of opposing tba
Legislation the president asks. not for
the purpose of Withholding it but to
ltcrce him to have congress in speciaI
session to take a hand in the next
Istep which they feel will lead to
war. The Republicans are receivine o
passive support from the Democratic
element classed as pacifsts. The
presidents advisers deplore this cit.
uation for its effect in Germany
where they are convinced il will feed
the official impression that congress
VIII not support the president if he
hnds 1t necessary to go to war and
mat he is not speaking the senti-
ments OF united country.
The presidents request for an
Ithority to use "other instrumenta1i-
ties is the principal sticking point
Even the Republicans and some OF
the Democrats who hesitate TO giva
him what he asks say they would he
wiling to give him authority to arm
American ships or act on a definite
proposal, but are reluctant to "sign
: blank check"
Division I'm Ranks.
Ihe administration faces this di.
vision in its own ranks in its efror,
to convince the kaiser that the Unit
ed States is preparing to enforce re.
Ispect for its rights on the high seas
Some Democrats point to the presi.
dents own statement in his address
today that he considered he already
had implied authority to act and
might do so without sanction of con.
sress Mr.. Wilson himself, however
said he preferred not to act on i'm
plication and did not desire TO be lef,
without specific authority and NO
congress TO which to turn. All these
: things point toward an extra session
although way out may develop al
e the last moment
Although President Wilson told
congress he was not acting because
OF the long feared overt act" news
of the destruction OF the Cunarc
liner Laconia with Americans aboard
4 was received here as he was entering
the doors OF the capitol and was
passed from mouth to mouth through
congress while he was speaking.
Lacking details. its seriousness
could not be estimated, but il was
apparent everywhere that it gave
weight to the presidents words then
failing upon a body OF grave, silent
legislators assembled before him in
solemn moment of American his
tory weighing the declarations which
may lead the United States to war.
Not Seeking War.
But the president made il clear
that America was asking to exercise
none but the rights of peace, that he
was not proposing nor contemplat.
ing war, he was thinking he said OF
the right OF life itself, the rights OF
humanity, without which there is no
civilization" rights deeper and more
fundamental than merely the rights