Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-02-27
%ills introduced in Both
Branches Giving Wilson
Il Free Rein.
REPUBLICANS ARE OPPOSED
Willing to Stand by Executive,
But Object to Signing of
"a Blank Check"

dent wilson today tool, the inevitable |
authority 10 use the forces uf the |
United States To protect American /.
ships ana lives against the German
submarine mcnacc--to put the nation |
in u state at armed neutrality.
The Immediate response was the !
Introduction IN the house pr hill ap- |
proved iu advance bN the president. I
cmpOwcrins him Ia furnish guns aud
gunncr~ to American merchantmen:
Ia "cmpluN such other instrumental /
ties and methods" ~ NAV become
necessary. and providing for S1O0.-
100000 bond ISSUE. to he used In his
discretion for war insurance To- en-
courage American commerce to brave
the submarine peril. The hill may
hc brought up in the house tomorrow
with special rules for it, immediate
consideration.
\ similar hill will he considered to-
morrow by the senate relations COM
miitcc.
FORCE EXTRA SESSION.
The presidents Ionc-cNpcctcd ac-
tlOn. while received In the main with
expressions, of support, threatens to
force an extra session of congress.
blanket authority while congress i ~
recess, aiNc evidence of opposing ihc
legislation the president ask. not Tor
purpusc uf withholding IL hut to force
lin to hnNc congress la special ~Cs-
sion to take "a hand IN the next steps
which they tc,l will lead to war. The
Republicans are receiving passive
support from the Democratic element
claSsCd ~ paciiicistS.
SITUATION DEPLOREp.
The presidents advisers doplorc
this situation for It's effect no Ger
many. whore they are convinced il
will feed tho official impression that
congress will not support the pr'sl-
dent II he finds 1t necessary to go To
war. and that he Is not speaking the
sentiments Of united country.
The presidents request for authority
20 use "otror insirumCntnlitieS' Is inc
principal stcMng point Even th" Re-
Iubllcats and some &C the Democrats
who hesitate to riyc hm what he asks,
said thcv would he willing to give him
ct,tlofitv To- arm American ships OF
net ON definite proposal. hut are re
mrtant to "sigu 1 blank chcck
May Act Anyway.
Tho administration faces this GiNi-
\ sion IN Us own ranks In It's ctiurl 10
\ouvlncc the kaiser that the luiteu
sIntcs Is now preparing TO en- 'ltr re-
spect FOR i's rights on tie high seas
some Democrats point 90 the pi'sl-
dents own statement In his address
today that no considered ne already
bnl implied authority to act and
might do So without sanction of con
gross Mr. Wilson himself however,
snld ne preferred not to act ON iupll-
cations. AMI cid not desire go 10, leit
without specific authority ard no COM
grcss to whl'h TO turn vi tn's'
things pliut toward an extra session
altho way out may develop at the
/last moment.
Incunin News Received.
Al,bo president Wilson told con-
rrcss bc was not acting because ui tho
ionp.feniod covert act news Of the
destruction Of the Cunlrd ltncr lt-
COMA. with American, ahuWj, Was re-
cciycl here as he was entering tho
doors of the capitol and W1s PASSED
from mouth to mouth thiu c"rSre''
while he was spcnkins.
Lacking details, it, Seriousness
could not nc estimated, bat Il was app
rnrcnt everywhere that n gave weishi
!. the PRESIDENTS words tNcn iaillus
ipou a body Of grave, silent letls'h-
tors. ,sseu hlel before him IN "a somh'r
moment Of American history, Weighing
tho declarations which may lcad the
United states To war.
The Rights of Peace
Put the president made IT clear that
America was asking to exercise none
lint tho rights of peace. that he was
moi proposing nor contcmplatlng war.
Ifc was thinking he said, OF the right
of life itself. the rights of humanity
"without which there Is mo- clNlli@a-
uon." rights deeper and more iunda..
mental than merely the rights ot
mo course Of my choosing nor OF
theirs" said the president, viii lead
Ia war. War can come only by the
wilful acts and aggresslons OF
others
Gcrmnny's Record.
Four weeks of Unrestricted sub
marine warfare, the president tolu
congress. has seen the destruction OF
nj least two American ships. American
commerce driven In a large measure
from the seas thru fear of the under: :
sea peyil. and a resulting congestion OF
Americas vital industries growing
more serious ev~y day. The fact that
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