Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-22
Senate Re-convenes

Senate Ro-cOnVenoS
An air of excitement of grave con-
Germ pervaded the chamber when the
Senate re-convened at o'clock the
crowded galleries and the floor were
alive with the news that four Ameri
can marines had been killed and 20
wounded in the taking of Vera Cruz.
The big crowd of spectators which
had filled the galleries overfiowed into
the corridors.
Root Supports Lodge
Senator Root opened the night ses-
sion with a speech supporting the
Lodge substitute.
Il shall not prolong this debate"
he said, for 1 believe that whatever
action we shall take ought to be taken
today. There should be no further de-
lay"
Senator Root said the foreign rela-
tons committee resolution while omit
ting the name of Huerta made it plain
that it was directed against him. He
expressed the highest regard for the
President and the highest confidence
in his purposes"
But we are not to express our con-
fidence in him." he continued.
Senator Root reviewed the Tampieo
incident as the avowed Justification"
by the President. He said the incl
dent was an insult to our flag
But, SIR he said. amends were
made"
Senator Root said he agreed that the
amends were not sufficient as coming
from de faeto government al
though they would have been suffi-
cicnt coming from an individual. A
dispute arose, he said, as to the de-
tails of further amends, the customary
and usual incidents surrounding such
a salute"
This was the matter in dispute be-
tween this government and the de
facto government of Mexico and this
is the justification upon which the res
olution now before the Senate is
based"
Justification Inadequate
This justification, it seems to me,
is painfully inadequate. If this is all
there is between this government and
the poor harried people of Mexico, it
is painfully inadequate. But is this
all?
I'VE learn tonight that Vera Cruz
has fallen; that four American ma
rines lie dead; that 90 lie suffering
from wounds. Is there nothing else
but this dispute of the number of guns
the form and ceremony of a salute
to justify the sacrifice of the Ameri-
can lives? Deeply as the President
desires to limit the scope of his action
the maintenance of peace all history
suggests that once lighted the fires
of war cannot be quenched at will.
Men will die-men dear to us will die
because of the action we are to take
tonight. American homes will be des-
olate. American children will go
through life fatherless and when they
turn back the page to find why their
fathers died, are they to find that it
was about the number of guns or the
form of salute?
I'VE are to justify. What is the JUS
LITIGATION? Is there none but that. We
the representatives of the great De-
mocracy that prides itself before the
world that democracies can be peace
full and just Is there no justification
that we can lay before the world ex-
cept dispute about the number of
guns?"
AS Senator Root paused, he raised
his hand Heayenward and turning to
the senators about him said:
Possible Settlement
"How can we justify ourselves, if
we have not justification? But, sir,
that is not all. Back of this incident,
back of the special circumstances of
the resolution reported by the COM
mittee is a great array of fact"
Senator Root asked what would have
been done if similar incident had
occurred in an English, French or
German port He said that any such
dispute could be settled by peaceful
negotiations.
What Justification?
IF this dispute was ALL he said,
there should be no difficulty in
reaching a peaceful conclusion
If this be all, how can we justify,
in our arrogance, our present attitude
toward bankrupt, weak, despairing
Mexico. But this is not all, there is
matter tof justification. And the sem
ator from Massachusetts has sought
to lay it before the Senate in his sub
stitute for the preamble of the reso-
luton.
Lying behind the insult to the
American flag are the lives of Amer
leans destroyed, Americans reduced
to poverty because of the destruction
of their property. Lying behind it is
condition Of anarchy in Mexico, a
condition which makes it impossible
to secure protection for American life
and property.
There is our justification. 1t Is a
justification lying not in Victoriano
Huerta or in his conduct alone. but