The Washington herald., 1914-04-22
Rights of Our Citizens.

Rights of Our Citizens.
Disclaiming any partisanship. but de-
Tending the Republican party for ira
ditional patriotism and deyotion TO the
flag. Senator Lodge said:
We think not only that the honor
of the flag should be maintained-but
We believe that something should be
done and something said about that
which the flag covers, the citizens of
the United States. They look to II a,
the emblem of the great government
and the great nation to which they
owe allegiance and from which they
expect protection. More than $50
American citizens-innoCent helpless
peOple-have been murdered upon Mex
lean soil
T. for one. when l demand atone
ment for the insults of the flag at
Tampico. cannot put aside those peo-
pie who have perished in Mexico and
whose deaths have gone unnOticed and
unavenged. l cannot consent. speak
ing only for myself. as a single Sena-
tor OF this body. at this great crisis
to pass by in silence the wrongs which
have been done to innocent people, law
fully in another country without de-
claring that there is another wrong
besides this insult to the flag to be
atOned, wrong whlCh must not be-
and shall not be, repeated
Senator Lodge said he also objecte ed
to being placed in a position of choos-
ing between the factions in Mexico. Il
will not, without n protest at least,
join in any resolution which can. by
any construction, put the United States
in the attitude of selecting one MUIR
derer and cutthroat in preference to
another murderer and Cutthroat. II we
intervene in Mexico it must be for the
protection of American citizens; il
must in the hope that by our inter
vention we shall try at least to bring
hack peace and order TO that dis
traCted country, for which we have no
feeling but one of friendship. 1t must
not be that we go there to take down
one man and set up another
Armed er,cntion.
Referring to his preamble making a
strong declaration OF policy to intervene.
Senator Lodge said: There is not one
statement in that preamble that can be
denied: every sentence contains a truth
tragic truths-many of them
II is not the purpose of the minority in
Offering that preamble to make this resO-
luton a declaration of war, to broaden
its scope for any such purpose as that.
As ii stands. it means armed interven-
tion. and armed Intervention ii will re-
main whether my amendment is adopted
or not
Let US he under no anisapprehenslonI
as to where this resolution leads. 1t
leads to armed intervention. The first
step to be taken under it will be the
seizure of Vera Cruz. The day We take
Vera Cruz We have intervened. Our in
tervention should rest on grounds SO
broad that the civilized world cannot
contest the righteousness Of the act"
Senator Shively replied to MIR. Lodge. !
urging the adoption of the resolution
speedily. in the form in which it had
been reported from his committee. He |
declared it never was too late to de |
clare war. but it may easily become
too late to secure peace"
Call. It warIiLe.
He criticised Senator Lodges preamble |
as warlike. He said that if the Senate |
wanted to declare war. it ought not to |
be hypocritical about it, but come for
ward with a plain declaration. He said |
by the Senate, the product would be |
thunder in the preamble and whisper
In the text
IF we are to make a declaration OF
war-then let us make IL. Let us not !
engage in the snivellng Pharasaism of l
citing facts which justify war and in
slant war, and then adopting this res
Olution."
Senator McCumber spoke in opposition
to the resolution. He said that the flag
incident was not worth going TO war for.
Senator Works. Of California. proposed
A substitute accepting the apology offered
by Huerta, and directing the President
10 acknowledge it as a final settlement
Of the account He addressed the Senate
n support of his resolution.
Senator Thomas declared that April II
was fateful month in American history. !,
md recalled that all the great wars since
he shot at Lexington, that was heard
'ound the world" had started in April.
He recalled Sumter, and the beginning of
he war with Spain.
A speech was also made BY Senator
of Mississippi. "