The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-03-05
Lafollette J. and Stone Pre-
vent Vote-Big Majority
in Favor.
DENOUNCED
BITTERLY
Vardaman the Only South
ernor Who Was Against
the Bill.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.


Washington, March 4.-The sixty
fourth congress expired at noon to-
day without the senate reaching a
vote on the armed neutrality bill.
Twelve senator's led by LaFollette
and encouraged by Stone. Chairman of
the foreign relations committee, in q
filibuster, denounced by President
Wilson's spokesman as the most rep
rehensible in history of any civilized
nation, defied the will of an over
whelming majority up to the last
minute and prevented the senate
passing a bill to give the president
the right TO arm ships to meet the
German submarine menace. The
house already had passed the bill and
although the senate was held in con-
tinuous session for twenty-six hours,
it expired at noon today without &C
ton because LaFollette and his small
group insisted on the right OF I'M
limited debate.
To fix the responsibility, forty-six
democrats and thirty republican SEN
ators put into the record the mani
festo they signed, saying they favNred
the bill and would have passed it ex-
cept for the opposition. Thirteen
senator's declined to sign the mani
festo but one of them, Penrose, said
he would have voted for the bill if
he had the opportunity. The twelve
who went on record with thirteen
members of the house in against
granting to the president the auth
ority he asked were Clapp of Min,
Inesota, Cummins of Iowa, Gronna of
NORTH Dakota, Kenyon of Iowa, La
Toilette of Wisconsin, Norris of
Nebraska, Works of California, re-
publicans; and Kirby of Arkansas
Lane of Oregon, Ogerman of New
York, Stone of Missouri, Vardaman
Of Mississippi, all democrats. Seven
senator's did not go on record as
they were not present.
Hours before the end, senator's who
had fought throughout to break down
the filibuster made a vain effort to
reach some sort of a compromise and
that failing. they planned to thwart
I,aFollette's plans to occupy the
stage at the climax. When the SEN
ate reconvened at ten o'clock Sunday,
LaFollette appeared fresh and eager
and sought recognition, but Senator
Hitchcock obtained recognition from
the chair and talked until the con-
gress had expired. A forensic strug-
gle which followed Hitchcock's SUI.
cessful effort to prevent LaFollette
having the privilege of talking the
measure to death has seldom ever
been seen In the senate. Voices were
strained to shrieking, fists were
shaken at the presiding officer, and
Senator Salisbury, who ruled that
J Hitchcock had the floor and despite
repeated exceptions to his ruling, the
senate voted with him each time,
Once LaFollette shrieked that he
would continue on the floor until
somebody carried him off and declar
ed he would like to see somebody do
it. but he was voted down and forced
to sit and hear Hitchcock talk until
noon. Several times Hitchcock paused
and requested a vote on the armed
neutrality but each time LaFollette
objected and as unanimous consent
was required that proposal always
failed.
Hundreds Of spectators crowded il
to see the unusual spectacle of fill
ibuster against a filibuster. LaFol
lette announced he had a grea'
speech undelivered which he proposed
I to deliver throughout the country.
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