Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-03-08
PRESIDENT TAKES
FIGHT TO PEOPLE
MAkes cAUsTic STATEMENT
CONCERNING PRACTICES ~
VOGUE IN SENATE.
FALSE IMPRESSION ABROAD
Puies Must Be Changed So That No
One Person May Be Able to
Block ProeeedinpSNumer.
, Gus Bills Fail.

Washington.--President Wilson's
statement following the failure OF
congress to ciothe him with authority
to act in the crisis created by Ger
many's U-boat warfare follows in
part:
"The termination Of the last sos
sion of the sixty-fourth congress by
constitutional Limitation discloses a
situation unparalleled in the history
of n modern government. In the
immediate presence Of a crisis frauaht
with more subtle and f~ar-reaching
possibilities OF national danger than
any other government has known
within the whole history Of its inter
national relations. the congress a
been unable TO act either TO safeguard
the country or to vindicate the ele-
mentary rights of its citizens.
More than five hundred OF the
five hundred and t~hirtyone members
Of the two houses were ready and
anxious to act.
1.-THE senate has no rules by which
debate can be limited or brought to
an end, no rules by which dilatory
| tactics OF any kind can be prevented.
This inability OF the senate to act
has rendered some of the most nee
ssary legislation Of the session I'M
! possible at a time when the need fol-
it was the most pressing n most
| evident. The bill which would have
permitted such combinations OF CAPT
tai and OF organization in the export
and import trade Of the country as
the circumstances Of international
competition have made imperative
a bill which the business judgment OK
the whole counry approved and de-
m~anded-has failed.
"The opposition Of one or two SEN
ators has made it impossible to IN
crease the membership of the inter
state commerce commission or TO give
ii the altered organization necessary
for its efficiency. The conservation
bill which should have been released
for immediate use the mineral re-
sources which are still locked up IN
the public lands, now that their re-
lease is more imperatively necessary
than ever. and the bill when would
have made the unused water power
Of the country Immediately availahIe
for industry have both failed, Though
they have been under consideration
throughout the sessions OF the tWo
congresses and have been twice
passed by the house of representa-
tiyes.
."The appropriate tons for the army
nave failed, along with the appFopfit
lions fer the military academy u
West Point, ana the general deflci
ency bill. 1t has proved Impossible
to extend the powers Of the shipping
hoard TO meet the special needs o.
the new situation into which our com
meree has been forced or TO incFeas
the gold reserve Of On national bank
ing system to meet the unusual CIR
cumstances OF the existing f!nancia
conditions.
ct would not cure the difficulty tt
call the sixty-fifth congress in extra
=, ordinary session. The paralysis 0
the senate would remain.
although as a matter OF fact tn
nation and the representatives OF IN
nation stand back of the executlv'
! with unprecedented unamlmity an
spirit, the impression made abroa
' will, OF course. be that it is not 2
sl;d that other governments may &C
as they please without fear that TN
government can do anything at al
We cannot explain. The explanatio
n IN incredible"
v At the same time the president al
thorized the further statement tina
what rendered the situation eve
q more grave than it had been sui
I uosed that It was. vas the discover
G that while the president under n
n general constitutional powers coui
do much of what he had asked I'll
congress 10 empower him to do !
had found there were certain o.
n statutes as yet unrepealcd which ms
r. raise lnsuperable, practical obstacle
and may nullify his power.