Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-24

when I'm neutral waters and ports. with
the evident intention to deceive. the
President of the United States and the
Secretary Of state shall at the earliest
possible moment transmit such actual
memorandum of the German govern
meut, with such facsimiles Of alleged
secret Instructions of the British gov
ernment, and with all appendices what
sOever. to the Speaker OF the House,
that 1t and they may be laid before
the House for its full Information and
for Its assistance in performing Its
duty and function of guarding the well
fare Of the country and its cttt1ens. and
for it's assistance I'm performing Its
constitutional duty Of advising the
President of the United States with
regard to foreign relations.
That the House Expresses the deter
minatiOn of the people and government
Of the United States both to uphold all
American rights and to exercise care,
conside Grafton and wisdom I'm avoiding
actions which tend to bring American
citizens and American interests into
the zone of conflict where the passions
of war are raging.
To Give the President Time.
In the House it was explained today
that the President had requested
Chairman Flood of the foreign affairs
committee not to press matters immed-
lately, and that the supporters of the
resolution were willing to give the
President a reasonable time for con-
sideration of the situation before TAX
ing further action.
The foreign affairs committee also
made partial concessions to the in
surgentS by requesting the State De-
n n
its possession. said to contain orders to
British vessels regarding armlng them
selves. The McLemore resolution.
which had much to do with stirring up
the controversy between the House and
the President. coupled a request for
these papers with a warning against
American citizens taking passage on
the vessels.
Resolution by Foster.
Because of the request for tbs papers
feature of the McLemore resolution, a
new resolution, which has the support
of the majority of those opposing the
Presidents policy, has been drawn by
Representative Foster He has sub
mitted copy of it to the foreign af-
fairs committee, through Representa-
tive Shackleford. but it will not be in
troduced Immediately. Mr.. Foster said
president to warn Americans against
taking passage.
The suggestion that politics prompt ed
the present movement was denied en-
phatically by leaders. particularly in
respect to William jennings Bryan
being in any way concerned. 1t was
pointed out that democrats behind the
resolution are of all factions and from
many parts of the country. While
Representative Shackleford is Clark
democrat and has hepp strong
porter of the Teuton nations on the
floor. his views upon these two fea-
lures of the national situation are de-
clared not to have been impressed upon
representatives whom he has urged to
support the resolution.
The clamor for a clear explanation
of the Presidents position continued
today. Democrats behind the resolu-
ton proceeded on the theory that the
President wants an abandonment of
Germany's armed vessel policy of war,
and their hope is to avert this by adop-
ton of the proposed resolution. If this is
not the Presidents position. they want
to know it. And it is freely predicted
President has not taken such an I'M
alterable stand the agitation for pass
age of the resolution would fade
quickly.
Statement by Lindbergh.
Representative Lindbergh of Mime
sofa said:
Whatever the international law
may be, whether Germany is right or
wrong in determination to strike
armed belligerent merchant ships, is
not the question upon which we should
determine our policy with regard to
our people travelling upon such ships
The President is wrong when he gives
encouragement to our citizens travel
ing in that way at the risk of involv-
ing our country in the European war,
Furthermore any citizen who has so
little regard for his country's welfare
as. to be willing to involve his country
in controversy for his foolhardy acts,
unoer existing conditions, is not
wofthy of the title of an American.
We need not admit the claims of any
of the belligerents, but we should is
sue proclamation to our citizens that
if they travel on belligerent ships they
do SO at their own risk, except that il
their rights are molested. negotiations
will be entered into with the offending
nations for proper settlement, but that
1t will not be considered a cause for
war. or even as a demonstration of
hostility by the offending nation.
The time will come when such con-
troversies will be settled by some ac-
ton. Congress alone has the power to
declare war. Therefore it should. when
necessary, act to prevent the necessity
of doing SO. When it seems necessary
Congress should proclaim the policy
OF the country as 1t believes such pol
icy should be-"
Republican Senator Blocks
an Attempt by Mr.. Gore to