Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-27
CONGRESS WAITS
! ON PRESIDENT TO
ADJUST SITUATION

JsD1OOI vi O1VIJVV
Continued from First PageD
in his statement. characterized this ac-
ton as rendering policy of 'watchful
waiting unavoidable
Hope for an Adjustment.
I'm the meantime" he continued I'VE
can watch upon the gratifying assur-
ances coming alike from our own State
Department and from the German for
eign Office that an amicable adjustment
is now hoped for. There is no purpose
to stay or force the hand of diploma cy
so long as there is no danger of its in
volving us in an irretrieva BILE situation
or jeopardizing the sovereign and eN-
elusive control by Congress over the
question of peace and war. This end
and the three principal objects sought
to be accomplished by the passage of
the resolution have already been ac-
complished by it's introduction and at
tending public discussion.
In the fire place. American citizens,
characterized by Senator Stone as
moral traitors. who would recklessly
travel on armed belligerent ships, en-
dangering their own lives and the
safety of the country. have been prac-
tically. if not officially, warned that
they must travel at their own peril,
and without the moral or legal sup
port of the Congress.
'In the second place. the country has
been treasured that the Congress will
not sacrifice millions of lives and bill
lions of treasure in defense of a use
less and unessential right that ought
to be withdrawn with dignity rather
than conserved with butchery. and that
the Congress will not abdicate it's con-
stitutional authority over peace and
war in favor of irresponsible adven-
turers who would. if they could, usurp
the power to precipitate the whole ma
ton into whirlpool of blood, car
mage and war.
Congress Country's Protector.
I'm the third place. it has been made
impossible even for the purchasers of
the ve-hundred- million dollar bond
issue of the allies to bait Germany
into declaration of war against the
United States and thus compel the
United States to underwrite their in
vestment and guarantee the continued
sovereignty and the ultimate success
of their debtors
Last, but not least. it is demon
strated to the country and 10 the
world it is demonstrated to those who
place the interest of Germany above
tnat OF America ana TO those VINO place
the interest of the allies above that of
America. that the Congress places the
true. the vital interest of America
equally above the interest of Germany
and that of the allies
Senator Lewis had prepared a reso-
luton which would commit the Sen
ate to an Endorsement of the Presi-
dents international policy in the pres
ent diplomatic crisis, but could not
introduce it yesterday under the rules
"a had Infn 1n6 n of I,
stitute for the Gore resolution and may
do SO later.
Cloakrooms Calm Down.
Persons unaccustomed to the House
would not have suspected that there
ever had been so much of ripple over
the cloakroom revolutionists had
Gained down yesterday. The general
situation was one in which the leaders
watched the revolutionists carefully
and the revolutionists let it be known
that they We're lying low, waiting to
see what is the effect on the country of
the Presidents foreign policy in the
present crisis over the armed ship
matter.
Representative McLemore of Texas,
author of one of the warning resolu-
tions, and Representative Glass of Vir-
such resolutions. entered into Cruel
ing contest with sarcastic statements
as weapons. and then withdrew
Representative Glass of Virginia fred
first by issuing the following:
For my part l would hate to believe
that Congress is in favor of any such
detestable capitulation as that which
has been suggested. involving insepara-
ply an abJect REIMBURSEMENT of cher
ished national rights and a brutal re-
preach of the President for trying to
preserve the dignity and prestige of the
United States among the great powers
of the earth.
Issue Worth the Fight
IF that is really the temper of Con-
gress the issue should not be postpon
ed today. We shoUld have the test
promptly in order that we may deter
mine whether the honor of this Amer
lcan nation. as it would be reflected by
such desperate legislative usurpa
ton, is worth the ceaseiess vigil and
the brave fight which has character-
lied the efforts of President Wilson to
preserve it.
For my part. do not believe that
Congress is in anything like such a
MOOD. or that 1t can be precipitat ted
INTO any such action. But there should
be no doubt about it, either i'm this
country or abroad. Infinite harm is
said to have ensued from the Teutonic
inisconception of this nations atti-
tude in the initial stages of the Lusi-
tania negotiations. and il is not diff
cult to perceive that even graver con-
sequences might result from the sup
position that Congress has a crinnjnp
anxiety TO repudiate Woodrow Wilson
and embrace Won Tirpitz
This is no party question II is an
American question. But if there is
rea foundation for the wellnigh in
credible assertion that the democratic
side of the House of Representatives
Is impatient to antagonize the Presi-
dent in his firm stand for American
rights as against threatened maritime
murder. then there are many of us who
want to go on record to the country-
who would covet the distinction of re-
fuslng to follow any such leadership"
Mr.. McLemore's Statement.
Representative McLemore's statement
contained the following: I'm introduce