The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-04
Policeman Handful Able to
Block Authority to President
to Defend American Lives
ARMY MEASURE, TOO,
MAY NOT PASS
When Congress Expires at
Noon Today Action of Stone.
La Toilette ct ais Nay Leavs
Nation in Virtually Defense
less Condition

Washington, March B.
With but twelve hours of life
remaining the sixty-fourth
congress tonight fought vigor
ously in vain effort to vest
President Wilson with full and
complete powers to. meet the
German crisis, At midnight
administration leaders had
practically abandoned hope Of
securing action in the senate on
the administration armed neu-
trality bill and other imperar
tive legislation before con-
gress.
In the house with the way tOs
final adjournment clear, resolu
tions to save absolutely neces-
sary appropriations were rush
ed through in the hope that
they might possibly run the
senate blockade.
The senate fight to prevent
enactment Of the armed neu-
trality bill reached a crisis
shortly after midnight when
Senators Clapp, of Minnesota,
and Works, of California,
blocked an effort to limit de-
bate on the measure. At that
time Senators La Toilette,
Clapp, Morris, Gronna and pos
sibly Senator O'Gorman were
expected to make speeches.
Senator Clapp declared that he
himself would need until 3
clock to finish his speech.
Confronted with this situation
senators, both Democrats and
Republicans, who support the
proposal to authorize the presi-
dent to protect American rights
at sea circulated a petition de-
signed to place the majority Of
the senate on record. It set
forth that majority of the SEN
ate favored the armed neutral
ity bill, but that the rules Of
the senate enabled the op-
ponents of the measure to pre-
vent a vote.
senators Sign Petition.
The petition which was quickly
signed by members on both sides ct
the senate.
The majority of United StateAI
senators, favored the passage OF the
senate bin authorizing the president
of the. United States to arm American
merchant vessels. a similar bill having
already passed the house OF repre-
sentatives by a vote of 403 to Is. TIM
der the rules of the senate allowing
unlimited debate it appears to be tn-
possible to obtain a vote previous to
noon March 4, 1917. when this seS-
sion OF congress expires
we desire the statement entered
on the record to establish the fact
that the senate favored the legislation
and would pass II II vote could be-
obtained
The following senators affixed their
signatures TO the petition.
Senators Ashurst. Bankhead. Beck -gs
ham, Borah, Brady. Brande1ee. Y
Broussard, Bryan, Catron, Chamber
lain. Chiffon. Clark. Colt. Curtis.
Dillingham;, Fail, Fernaid F'letchar.
Harding. Hardwick, Hitchcock. H0f-8
lis. Hughes. Husting. James Johnson.
OF South Dakota; Johnson of Maine:9%s
Jones. Kern, Lea. of Tennessee; LoA.
OF Maryland; Lewis. Lodge. McCum~s5
Der, Mclean, Martin, Myers Nelson.
NeMlands, Oliver, Overman, Owen.8s
Page, Phelan, Pittman. Pomeren&&M
Poindexter, Ransdeli. Robinson. 8aul1sa
bury. Shafroth. Sheppard. Sherma6s4
Shields, simmons. Smith, Of Geero = rs
Smith, OF Maryland: Smith
Michigan; Smith, OF South CarUll1GS
Smoot. Sterling. Sutherland. SWGS@S
son, Thsmas. Townsend. Underwood