The Washington times., 1915-12-11
BITTER FIGHT SURE
OVER FOREIGN ISSUE
Controversy in Senate Fore
shadowed by Smith Attack
and Lodge Reply.


with reference to Americas foreign
relations were plainly foreshadowed
by the developments in the Senate la.e
yesterday afternoon when Senator
Lodge introduced a resolution calling
for an investigation by the Foreign
Relations Committee into the sub
marine attacks which have cost Amer
ican lives and property and into the
munitions and other plots which have
aroused the resentment OF a large par I
OF the country.
Outcry against British interference
with cotton and other cargoes will not
be permitted TO still the more en- {.
phatic outcry against destruction Of
American life at sea. II Senator Lodge
has his way. IN this. he has powerful
backing.
Speaking after Senator Hoke Smith
had demanded an investigation Of
British trade Interference. Senator
Lodge uttered these words:
"The body Of an innocent child
floating dead on the water. the vic
tim Of destruction Of an unarmed
vessel. is to me a more poignant ana
q moro ragic spectacle than an un-
sold bale Of cotton"
To Stir Up Controversy.
Senator Smith had offered q resolu-
tion for an investigation by the For.
eign Relations Committee into British
interference with neutral trade. SEN
ator Lodge proposed to supplement
that with a resolution for an inveSti-
cation into the Lusitanta case, the
Arabic case, the Ancona. and like
cases, and the conspiracles against
neutrality to which President Wilson
alluded Tuesday.
That the Lodge resolution will stir
up an animated controversy in COM
mittee and in the Senate is plain. 1t
is presented as an amendment to the
Smith resolution.
Life More Important.
S"na %" T.o""n sad:
I think Americans shesid b pro-
tccieu fh... uv,, d.. e.. .. O.. -
erty everywhere. ! do not think they
ought TO be murdered in detail and OBJ
scurely in Mexico. or openly or whole
sale on the high seas.
Although I am as anxious as anyone
can be to care cor our rights in trade,
II they are violated. to me American
lives are more important than American
dollars. II this investigation Is to go
on. and especially II Congress Is to take
action. I want II to take in ell the vio-
lations OF our rights that may have oc-
CURED. The most important Is the vio-
lation which has affected American
lives or the security OF an American
citizen--man. woman. or child-and the
next most important are those pointed
out by the President OF the United
States in his message the other day
when he referred to the destruction Of
property. accompanied by destruction OF
life in the United States. and stated
that conspira cies in alien interests are
going on within our own borders.
Something Higher Than Dollars.
Il think II We are to investigate and
inquire with view to action. such
deeds as these should not be omitted.
over an infringement OF our trade and
then allow American citizens to lose
their lives and have II 90 by In frigid
silence. think the United States
stands for something higher in the
world than mere trade and mere dollars.
wronged in their properties. but think
We should also stand. and above all.
for morality and humanity in the deal
ings Of nations with each other"
Senator IIoke Smith. in reply to Sena-
tor Lodge. intimated there had been an
effort to bury all objections to inter
ference with American shipping by
continental protestations OF horror al
losses OF life and that some OF this
effort. nt least. had been influenced by
profits from sale Of ammunition.
"Lost Nothing In Trade"
"Thos. who have considered 1t mos,
mercenary to criticise Great Britain for
, interfering with neutral trade" said
! tho Georgia senator. "have been per.
sons who. to say the least. have moi
, lost anything In their trade"
Senator Walsh charged that American
, shippers OF copper had been harssset
| by the British into signing an agree
/ ment to ship copper only where the
British admiralty "graciousiy permit
| ted