The Washington herald., 1914-04-22

sons, but the Vice President compelled
every person in that section to go out
side.
Senator Shively. acting chairman Of the
Foreign Relations Committee. in response
TO questions propounded b. senator
Weeks, OF Massachusetts. made the an
nouncement that the United States naval
forces had occupied Vera Cruz without
firing n shot: This announcement Great
ed some excitement. but was not un-
expected. in view of information that
was whispered around the Senate late
Monday night. and more or less authen-
tic reports yesterday morning that orders
had been sent to Admiral Fletcher by
Secretary Daniels. directing him TO lard
marines and take possession Of the Gus
tOm-nouse at Vera Cruz
Senator Weeks broke in upon the
course OF the debate to ask the question
Il would like to ask the Senator from
Indiana. who is chairman OF the Foreign
Relations Committee. IL IL is true that
our forces have seized the Custom-house
at Vera Cruz said Mr.. Weeks. There
are reports flying around the Capitol and
published in the newspapers that this has
actually happened"
In reply to the question" said Sena-
tor ShveIy. with great deliberat ton. Il
ought to say that I do not want to speak
happened at Vera Cruz I might be mis-
taken. But my impression is that the
city Of Vera Cruz has been taken and
that IL was taken without the firing Of a
single gun. and that IL is now in the pos
session Of our forces
This statement was made in the midst
of the greatest silence in the Senate
chamber. while the occupants of the gal
leries hung upon Mr.. Shively's words with
intense interest and profound silence.
Call. Il Farce.
"If 1t is the case" continued Mr.
tor does not think 1t a farce for the
Senate to further consider this resoIu-
ton.
Il thought 1t vas understood by this
time said Mr.. Shively in reply. that
there is no resolution asking Congress TO
authorize the President to proceed in this
emergency. The President made II clear
and so stated in his message. that that
was not his errand. He has asked Con-
gress only for counsel and support, and
the approval of Congress for things that
he has authority to do without going TO
Congress"
Senator Ollie James faithful field mar
shall to the administration. remarked that
the President could not wait for the
Senate to talk and talk. because muni-
tions of war were now being rushed
across the border into Mexico"
Senator Weeks closed the colloquy by
the observation:
1T seems to me that for US to be asked
to justify the President for something he
has already done is little short of ridicu-
lous"
Another interesting incident Of the aft
ernoon debate was Senator William Alden
Smiths speech. in which he attacked as
'conspiratOrs" three men, whom he
named as having met in the Hotel Astor.
in New York. in an effort to reach an
agreement for the control of valuable
franchises in Mexico, as the considera-
tion for putting an end to the revolution.
or at least preventing the attack on
Juarez. The men he named as in the con-
ference were Gustavo Madero Senior Lii
former minister of finance Hf
Mexico, and Sherburne Hopkins. an at
torney, OF Washington. who is. or was.
the counsel OF the constitutionalists.
The Senator declared that the battle
of Juarez was postponed until after this
conference failed to reach an agreement.
the three men been able to satisfactorily
divide between them the control of the
railroads and oil lands in Mexico.
Think of these three conspirators in
a room in hotel in New York holding
in their hands the fate Of l7OOO.O0 of
citizens of Mexico and the future desti-
nies Of that country exclaimed Senator
Smith.
Senator Smith appealed to Senator'S to
make a declaration so broad and sweep
ing that 1t would evince a disposition to