The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-21

conSlueratlon. We have let matters go further in Mexicon than if we were in a controversy with one of the great nations of the world War never comes from any one in- eident and never has. For more than year We have been facing a reign of disorder and turmoil in Mexico with great patience. We have endeavored to allow Mexico to work out a problem of peace and of government.
 We have hoped from day to day that peaceful settlement might have been reached. But peace never comes to coward Peace never comes to a country that fails to protect it's cit lzens or to enforce respect for its flag.
 Our flag has been dishonored in q foreign land The President of the Unit ed States comes here today He has not asked you to declare war. but asks you to sustain him in requiring a de- cent request for your flag and an hon orable consideration for the rights of your government"
 Mir. Underwood deprecated the posi- tion taken by Representative Mann and recalled how the democrats in Congress supported the Spanish war resolution of the Mckinley administration. The rule was adopted by viva voce vote with rolling chorus of ayes" overwhelming few scattered noes" <"
 Amid shouts of Vote, vote" a unan- imous consent agreement was reached limiting debate to two hours and 10 minutes. Fifty minutes was controlled by Representative Flood. 10 by Pro- gressive Leader Murdock and one hour and ten minutes by Republican Lead CT Mann. The agreement also provided that any member might offer amend ments to the resolution.
 Representative Flood opened the de- hal frn fax of fha ~ ftA< the adoption of the rule
 Action Necessary
 Tn his lucid manner the President today demonstrated the necessity of some action to resent insults to the United States flag by Huerta' he said This is not a declaratioff--of war. This is only step that he has taken now to prevent war. It has been carefully drawn to prevent war.
 Would 1t give the President the right to blockade the ports of Mexico?" asked Representative Gillette.
 Yes" said MT. Flood.
 Isn't that an act of war;" asked Mr. Gillette.
 Representative Flood said that the blockade he had in mind contemplated simply the prevention of the delivery of cargoes to the de facto government In Mexico. He said that the resolution conferred practically no authority on the President that he did not already have.
 Representative Harrison of Missis- sippi, democratic member Of the for eign affairs committee, declared that the American people approved the Pres ident's course.
 "We are justified now in making these demands" he added. and the de- mands are just and right and sane | l.tr ,,,t., tor, 1nxx
 Policy Arraigned
 Representative Mondefi of Wyoming republican, arraigned the Presidents policy, and denounced the constitution alists as ''murderous, robbing bri- gands."
 He declared the administration had accepted miserable and humiliating' replies from Villa and Carranza to it's demands During all this time he added, the Huerta administration has been preserving order and it's conduct toward this government has been per feet.
 Representative Stephens of Missis- sippi was the first democrat to speak against the resolution He said the reso- lution was a declaration of war and that he did not believe the President had made "a sufficient case to justify us in declaring war"
 Representative Butler of Pennsylva- mia opposed the resolution unneces- sary. He was followed by Representa- tive Reilly of Connecticut, who aroused a storm of applause on the democratic side of the House by reciting a poem to the flag.
 Representative Moore of Pennsylvania offered an amendment providing that nothing in the resolution shall be con strued as a declaration of war"
 House Becomes Restless
 As the debate drew to close the House became restless, applause become bolster ous and speakers were frequently inter- rupted by shouts of vote, vote. The crowded galleries joined in the spirit of restlessness and Speaker Clark had con siderable difficulty in suppressing dis order
 Closing debate against the resolution, Minority Leader Mann declared that he was opposed to war because he had served in this House through one war.
 q have seen the results of the Spanish war" he said, and l have seen that no one can foretell the results of war. l do not believe it is possible for us to have war with Mexico and ever leave Mexico. think that when our troops land in Mexico City when the war is over we will own Mexico. and I am not now in favor of acquiring the responsibility for that ownership. I know that when the time comes l will join with majority in this House who will say the flag must never come down that our boys planted there.'
 Representative Linthicum of Maryland, democrat. referred to the Madera assas- sination and asked how any government could recognize the president of a regime in whose keeping Madero had been when murdered.
 Representative Bartholdt of Missouri, republican member of the foreign affairs committee, offered an amendment he had unsuccessfully pressed in com mittee, to insert in the resolutions the words within the limits of his constitu- tional power." after the reference to the Presidents use of employment of armed forces. The proposed amendment went over until conclusion of debate.
 Heflin Speaks
 Representative Hefln of Alabama. dem- oerat said Congress should let Huerta know i've have one country, one flag, one heart, and every man ready to defend that flag"
 Representative Gillette of Massachu- setts, republican. declared the incidents cited by President Wilson were trivial This is war" he said. with all its horrors and responsibilities. History will censure and condemn those men who to- day on this miserable pretext vote for war"
 Representative Kent, independent. Call fornia, expressing regret that he could not agree wit hthe President. sand the res olution was a declaration of war" and asserted that by passing 1t Congress would "condemn to death many of our citizens in Mexico"