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Show LINING OP FOR VOTE IN SENATE Gore Resolution to Be Taken Up Without Waiting for Complex House Action. STONE MAKES SPEECH Senator Lodge Upholds President's Presi-dent's View on Armed Ship Issue. Washington. March 2. Administration Administra-tion forces evidently are lining .up for a vote in the senate on the armed ship resolutions. Senator Stone at the opening of the" session today proposed pro-posed an adjournment to take the senate sen-ate out of recess in which it has been working, so as to clear the parliamentary parliamen-tary situation for a vote on Senator Gore's resolution. Senator Stone made the suggestion, after a conference with administration administra-tion leaders, who decided the situation situa-tion in the house was so complex with possibility of delay that they would not wait for a vote, but would go ahead in the senate where they are confident the anti-administration resolutions can be defeated It seemed seem-ed to be the -plan to bring the Gore resolution up tomorrow. Senator James, one of the administration adminis-tration supporters, said: "It has been decided to bring tho resolution up for action as soon as possible, but probably not today. We have got the votes in the senate to smash It." Stone Makes Statement. Senator Stone from tho floor announced an-nounced that ho and President Wilson were not in accord ou tho issue. Senntor Stone's statement follows: "A sharp issue has been defined between be-tween Germany and Great Britain as to tho status of armed merchantmen. Germany contends that armed merchant mer-chant vessels are the equivalent of auxiliary war vessels and has announced an-nounced her policy to be, that after March 1 armed merchantmen would be regarded as warships and subject to the rules of war. "On the other hand Great Britain contends that under international law merchantmen have tho right to bo armed for defensive purposes and that armed merchantmen are entitled under the law to the same Immunity as unarmed ships, without regard to cargo. She has announced her intention inten-tion to carry out that policy. Policy of United States. "Now where does tho United States come in? In this way. If both porsist In these courses, neither yielding yield-ing to each other nor to the importunities importu-nities of neutral nations and if Germany Ger-many attacks nn armed merchantman and any American citizen is injured, the question is presented to this government gov-ernment what our attitude would be, If no Amorlcan citizens were on board we have no cause to interfere, unless we proceeded on the altruistic theory of obligations of humanity. Avoid Political Bias. "To my mind this emergency is of high importance. The president, senators sen-ators and representatives should speak with eoch other and with the country, free from political bias. We should wear our hearts an out sleeves so we may know our positions exactly. ex-actly. "The president's attitude is this: He supports the contention that bel-1 bel-1 llgercnt merchantmen have the right to bear arms for defensive purposes, but he does not say, nor do I know, f and I doubt if any one does, what constitutes con-stitutes defensive purposes. "Furthermore, if a German warship without warning should attack and . sink a merchantman, the president proposes to consider the attack a lawless law-less act. He will be disposed to hold the German government to strict accountability, ac-countability, and if the German government gov-ernment persisted, ho would be tempted tempt-ed to sever diplomatic relations and submit tho matter to congress which under the 'constitution, is the war making body. Disagrees With President. "If it must come to thiss and I must disagree with tho president and if I must disagree with my colleagues, I must not face this as a political question. ques-tion. My duty Is clear. I cannot but believe that if a belligerent merchantman mer-chantman Is armed, whether for defensive de-fensive or offensive purposes, If It is transporting war material, it is the equivalent of a war vessel. "I cannot discuss the question now, but will merely state that in duty to myself, to ray constituents and to my country, I will discuss It here at lr-ngth in the near future. The president presi-dent is opposed to the Gore resolution. resolu-tion. He is not only opposed to laws on the subject, but to any form of official warning keeping people off belligerent ships. "If I could have my way I would take somestep t save this country from becoming embroiled in the European Euro-pean war through the recklessness ot , some thoughtless citizen. "The president has written Representative Repre-sentative Pou that the resolution has been a source of embarrassment to him in the diplomatic negotiations with the belligerents. I am sure that is so I have diligently sought to prevent pre-vent resolutions on this subject being be-ing adopted and sought to allay agitation agi-tation on this subject Now we are Informed that the resolution must be defeated." Senator Stone declared it was his hope that something could be done at once to bring the president and congress more- closely in accord on. the issue and that hewas framing a substitute for all pending resolutions on the subject. Lodge for Prompt Action. Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, lanking Republican member of the foreign relations, declared he was in accord with Senator Stone's desire for prompt action, and he agreed that the issue was more important than anvthlng else now before congress. President Wilson and Republican Leader Mann of the house will discuss the attitude of Republicans on the armed ship issue at 5 o'clock this afternoon aft-ernoon at tho president's request. The president Intends to place the Issue Is-sue squarely before the Republicans In an effort to gain their support. President Is Right. Senator Lodge replied that the president pres-ident had a right to ask for a vote on the precise proposition of warning Americans, inasmuch as the issue had hampered his negotiations, so that he could know whether he could proceed with diplomatic negotiations with congress behind him. "I have listened with profound interest in-terest to what has been said by the senator from Missouri." said Senator Lodge. "I thoroughly appreciate the gravity of tho situation to which he has called attention. I agree entirely with him that this is not a party question. I also agree that our first duty is to dispose of the precise Issue that has been raised by the discussion discus-sion to which he has referred "I think the president, hampered as he tells us in the letter to Representative Repre-sentative Pou, In his diplomatic negotiations, ne-gotiations, has a right to ask for a vote on the precise proposition In or-e'er or-e'er that he may know whether he can ko on with his negotiations with con-crer con-crer behind him or whether congress con-gress takes the view of the belligerent power with which he is negotiating. I hope the senate will take an early vote on the precise question as to whether American citizens can travel on armed merchant ships, a right which has not been questioned for centuries past." |