The Washington herald., 1914-04-24
JLES in HOUSE;
warm DISCUSSION
Lower Branch Stands Ready
to Vote $4,000, 900
Naval Bill.
APPEAL FOR MORE SHIPS
Hobson Dehes Entire World if Any
Nation Dare Lay ''Unfriendly
Finger on Mexico"
APPEAL FOR MORE SHIPS

1 war was I0e sNohNA
days debate in the House on the naval
| appropriation bill. Inspired by the bill
and the armed strife in Mexico, members
| seemed to be full of the martial spirit.
Some criticism was made of the Mexican
policy of the administration up to the
| time that guns were fired at Vera Cruz,
but all agreed that now that the war is
on il was the duty of everybody to stand
by the President. President Wilson may
| regard the demonstration at Vera Cruz
as merely a reprisaL but no one in the
House yesterday used any other term to
| describe it than war
1t became known yesterday that IL the
administration gives the word the total
appropriation of s142, 100000 carried by the
naval bill will be made Immediately avail
able. Irf its present form the measure
authorizes the appropriation to be ex-
pended beginning July next. IF the ad-
ministration wants the money at once 1
have no doubt Congress will consent" "
said Chairman Pa6gett. of the House
Committee on Naval Affairs. 1t is the
expectation of the leaders that the Sec
retary Of the Navy will ask Congress to
make Immediately available the appro-
priations provided for ammunition and
otehr equipment taht maybe needed soon
HcndIiners In House Debate.
The headliners in the debate were Rep
resentatives Hobson. of Alabama, Fess
of hOio, and Humphreys, of Washing
ton. Representative Hobson made an ex-
tended argument for a greater navy, Rep
resentative Fess, a Republican, made an
appeal for the suppression Of partisan
appeal and in defense of the administra-
tion's course in Mexico. Representative
Humphrey, another Republican. spoke
before the order was issued placing an
embargo on the shipments of arms to
Mexico. In the name of God" he eX-
claimed. lis there no end Of the blum
dering stupidity of the State Department
in Mexico"
Representative Hobson aroused a tre-
mendous outburst Of applause when he
exclaimed: 81 do not hesitate to say
here today that America would fight to
the last drop of our blood all the nations
of the world if they so much as laid an
unfriendly finger On Mexico" This state
ment was made at the conclusion Of M
Hooson's discussion of The Monroe doc
trine and its significance.
Spirit of U. .. to Help the Weak.
I'VE do not engage in war to acquire
territory" said Mr.. Hobson. The ma
tions of the earth laughed in our face
when We said that We went to war with
Spain in behalf OF Cuba. Cuba was ours
by the law OF conquest We had spent
blood and treasure upon II, but did we
keep Cuba and make Spain pay an in
demnity? We gave Cuba independence.
and believe today the spirit to help the
weak permeates the heart Of America
as the President has announced that in
this Mexican war we did not go in with
the thought of conquest We are going
in there as the true friend of Mexico.
Wherever Americas influence is car
ried by the Stars and Stripes from the
masthead of our ships you will find
America the friend OF the weak, the
friend of the friendless and ever solicit
tous to promote the interests Of hu-
manity and at last to establish justice
to all men. 1t is in this spirit that We
approach our task in Mexico" Mr.. Hob
son was given an ovation as he con-
cluded.
THE power and dignity of the United
States are involved in our operations
against Mexico" declared Representative
Fess. I'VE do not want bloodshed. and
it is not the President who has caused
II. 1t is the logic of events. In this
crisis. the most serious that has come
upon US in fifty years, it is our duty re-
gardless of party, to extend a sympa-
thetic support in the heavy burden that
has come to him through the misfortunes
Of unhappy Mexico.
Our Duty I'm Mexico.
I'VE have gone into Mexico because 1t
was our duty to prevent further blood
shed, and whatever we do there We are
going to do it we'll" Mr.. Fess expressed
the belief that the struggle in Mexico
would be prolonged and bitterly contest
ed. and that the country might just as
we'll make up its mind now that its armed
forces were to face a united nation.
There can be no doubt OF that" said
Mr. Fess-
Word has come TO the House that the
administration probably would not pro-
hibit the shipment OF arms to Mexico.
This prompted Representative Humphrey
to make a protest in which he made vio-
lent criticism of the present administra-
tion of the Department of State. I'VE
are told in plain terms that arms and
ammunition are now being shipped into
Mexico that may be used to kill Ameri-
can soldiers shouted Mr. Humphrey.
Il am informed that the Secretary of
State was asked the question whether II
was proposed to stop the sale of am
munition and arms to these assassins.
Villa and Carranza. and his reply to the
assembled newspaper reporters was that
he considered such question an insult
and refused to answer it
AS we are now engaged in a bloody
war Of peace with Mexico, and as
American blood already has stained Mex
H1a.- AL IL