The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-04

plained the facts regarding his knowledge of the German document, and he declared that in view of this | explanation, there had been absolutely no excuse for Mr. Aldrichs statement
 concerning himself.
 q do not call on him to retract," he continued, 'but, I do say that no sen ator should make such an utterance of affairs to great and friendly pow
 CT as was originally made in this mat ter"
 | Here MT. Stone reluctantly yielded | to MT. Aldrich to make an argument. Assuming that the case was reversed, MT. Aldrich asked what impression
 would be made If a similar statement
 to that from Germany had been for ] warded from the United States to Ber- lin, with view of influencing legisla- tion by the German reichstag. Reply ing Mir. Stone said that he would not think much of 1t, if it had been sup piled by this government in response to re1uost from Germany, as was the German report in response to the re- quest oF our Secretary of State.
 Where the Fault Lay. Mir. Aldrich insisted that there would have been no question had the informa tion borne upon conditions in
 
 undertook to deny the statements and testimony given before a committee in Congress, and he said this is where the impertinence has been."
 "I have as great an admiration for the Germans and for their great Ger man emperor as anybody can possibly have" said MT. Aldrich with energy. As he was ab out to go on with fur ther remarks he was cut off abruptly l by tn Missouri senator.
 q insist that this Is a regrettable 1 circumstance" continued MT. Stone. "It l is to be regretted that senator wide ly known and with such large in fluence as the senator from Rhode Island should have, as I think, so far forgotten himself and so far forgotten the proprieties, however great the exi- gency of the moment, as to offend a friendly government, as he did with so little proyocatfon. The German gov ernment was not guilty of any impro- priety or impertinence."
 "The German government" continued
 MT. Stone, lis represented by men of
 great ability, learning and experience,
 who understand the propriety of interna- tional intercourse as well as any people of the world. They would have been the last to intrude themselves in a matter
 relating purely to our democratic affairs,
 
 kind"
 Bernstorff's Statement. MT. Stone read the published statement
 of Count Von Bernstorff the German ann bassador, as to the part his government had taken in furnishing this information. He denied that this was the first time a foreign government had furnished such information, and declared that the entire data received from abroad and now in | -r.tx NR f1A
 should have been published long ago, so that it might have been spread broadcast throughout our virtuous and impartial press.
 He said the German government could not itself directly nor through any of its diplomatic representatives call the Senate to answer for what had taken place in that body"
 "It is for that reason" continued the | Missouri senator, 'and that the German government and the people may under stand that the Rhode Island senator, in what he said, and the senior senator from | New York, who spoke in the same fash | ion, stand alone in the Senate of the United States, and, in this matter, do not | have the sympathy or the support of ] their colleagues that have brought this | matter up here'
 | MT. Aldrich said that his criticism was | directly towards the effort to use the in- | formation from Germany to influence American legislation He proceeded to ex- press his great admiration for Emperor | William and the German people, and then | read number of extracts from the Ger l man report to show that there had not | only been an effort to influence legislation | but that the report contained criticisms | of the House committee on ways and means. Senator Depew spoke in depre- | cation of the entire incident, saying that l 1t was absurd to think that the German government had in reality given serious l consideration to the matter
 LaFolIettes Resolution. | MT. Stone concluded his presentation | of the question by saying that while | there had not been direct retraction ] the dose had been so sugar-coated by l eulogies upon Germany as to remove the | bitter taste. MT. LaFollette introduced a l resolution calling for all the correspond | ence relating to the subject, but It's con l sideration was postponed
 | MT. Aldrich, in the course of his re- | marks, said: When the senator from l Missouri interrupted me, I was express | ing my admiration for the great states | man who presides over the German em- l pire. If there is one thing he is en- ! titled to admiration for on the part nf the whole world it is the support and l encouragement he has given by every