Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-03-16
Twelve Senators, Including
Two From Iowa, Block
Armed Neutrality Bill
as Session Closes.
MANIFESTO PLACES BLAME
Handful of solons, by Means of
Unlimited Debate Provided
by Rules, Defeat
Majority.

Washington. March 6 President
Wilson believes the killing of the armed
neutrality bin by the Senate filibuster.
before adjournment yesterday. may ef-
fectually prevent him from exercising
the executive p-rerogatiNes to arm mer-
chant ships, and advocates immediate
reform of rules by the Senate at the
session today to prevent a small minor
ity from holding up legislation in the
future.
After 10 senator's. led by Senator La
Toilette, had defied the wish of an
overwhelming majority for the neutral
ity bill until forced adjournment yes
to it's death, President Wilson issued a
statement denouncing the obStruction-
lists and expressing doubt whether he
can proceed to arm ships without lesis-
lative sanction. Referring to the fill
buster. the presidents statement said:
Makes U. S. Contemplate.
The result in this case is Il complete
paralysis alike of the legislative and
executive branches of the government.
"A little group of willful men, epre
senting no opinion but their own. have
rendered the great government of the
United States helpless n contempti-
BILE"
The dozen senator's. led by Senator
La Toilette and encouraged by Senator
Stone, democratic chairman of the for
eign relations committee, in a ilibus-
ter denounced by President Wilson'S
spokesman as the most r~eprehensible
in the history of any civilized nation,
defied the will of an overwhelming ma
jority in congress up to the last minut
and denied to the president a law au-
thoriZing him to arm American mer-
chant ships to meet the German sub
marine menace.
UNFOLDING throughout 26 hours of
continuous session TO Dnn1lS that their
defiance of the president would be hui
initiating to the country; uncompro-
missing in a crisis described t. them as
the most serious to the nation since the
civil war, La Toilette and his small
group of supporters refused Il major
ity of their colleagues an opportunity
to vote on the armed neutrality bill.
and it died with the Sixty-fourth con
gross at noon.
They Fix Responsibility.
To fix responsibility before the coun-
try, 76 senator's. 30 republicans and As
democrats, signed a manifesto pro-
claiming to the world that they favored
passage of the measure.
This declaration, embodied in the
record of the Senate, referred to the
fact that the House Thursday night had
passed a similar bill by a vote of 4O3
to ID, and also reiterated that the Sen
ate rule permitting unlimited debate
SL 81 Nbllst 4 49,
throttle the will of the majority.
Thirteen senators declined to sign
the declaration, but Senator Penrose-
republican. of Pennsylvania, announced
that he would have voted for the bill
had opportunity been afforded him.
The 10 who went on record with he
13 members of the House against
granting to President Wilson the au-
thority ne asked for from congress in
the crisis We're:
The 10 Senator's.
Republicans - Clapp. Minnesota,
! Cummins. Iowa; Gronna, North Dako-
ia; Kenyon. Iowa: La Toilette, Wis
| consin; Norris, Nebraska; Works, Cali
fornia-7.
Democrats-Kirby, Arkansas; Lane.
Oregon; O'Gorman, New York; Stone,
Missouri; Vardaman. Mississippi-5.
Association with them in opposition
to the armed neutrality bill were the
following representatives, who voted
against the House bill Thursday night:
Republicans-Benedict. California;
Cary, Wisconsin,; Cooper. Wisconsin,:
Davis, Minnesota; Helgesen. North Da-
kota; Lindborgh. Minnesota: Nelson,
Wisconsin,: Stafford, Wisconsin,; Will
son. Illinois,.
Democrats = Decker. Missouri:
Shackleford, Missouri; Sherwood, Ohio
3.
Socialist-London. New York..
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