The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-08

81 0c4Atora were too much TOT theH
ri they cheered for minutes 81
10. II was at such times that tne
Il MoeAker's gavei worked and toniEn'
46e BOUNDING board of the desk was
1rayed and shattered from the re-
III 6Ounding blows.
II The scores of speakers who deliber-
n4elv or bitterly, calmly or excitedly
&lircussed the issue pending before tins
House conferred their arguments on 9
) esw points
said Ii Meant War.
" The proponents of warning legisla-
II kion declared that the course 3eing
L followed by the President was likely
I Is lead the United States into the
zs nnaelsfrom of the European war
& they declared that all of the indica-
4 tionT from the White House had been
10 the effect that the President was
determined TO maintain his present
position toward Germany as 10 ths
Il rights OF neutrals to travel on armed
heiIigerent ships, even to the point OF
I war. They bitterly criticized the pol
icv which would allow "a foolhardy.
reckless, or mercenary American 10
nh,nRe the United States into war be
cause desire for "a JOY ride at sea,
and they declared that Congress hoia
ing the power to declare war, should
rIace itself on record as against wa
to protect such adventures.
81 The administration supporters raj
He'd their followers with tne sly
ss-s,support the President as against the
world" They declared that inttrter'
snee by Congress with the copstitu-
q sional power or the President &C. con-
+ duct foreign affairs had tied PreSl-
dent Wilson's hands in his neyotla-
y tons with Germany, had ham
strung" his activities as the foreign
Representative OF the American PEG
] pie. and had given aid and comfori
to power with which Hegothtloil,
were in progress. They urged mat
the House show that the nation Is not
divided against Itself. and pleaded for
a united front 10 all foreign nations
Feeling Becomes Bitter.
Il 0nty once during the day dtd feel
ing in the House become bitter. Then
Chairman Flood Of the Foreign At
fairs Committee. closing debate Just
before the final vote was taken,
aroused the ire OF Republican sup
porters of the warning resolution by
charging them with political motives
in the consideration Of the question.
7 IT do not think" he began. e. he
took the floor. that any man misun-
derrtands the issue we are to vote
upon here. / do not care what tho
motive may he which prompts a man
In his vote on this proposal. whether
he votes against this motion because
! he believes 1t does not present the
: issue or whether he opposes II because
: he favors the Mclm0re resolution.
I These are not the issues now before liz.
a. The question Is shall We sustain
. the President in his conduct Of the
foreign affairs of this government. We
propose 10 take exactly the same &C
lion on this resolution that the Senate
took on the Gore resolution last week.
y The Senate action was satisfactory To
!. the country
chorus OF groans from tho Re-
\ publican side Of the chamber greeted
This statement. =-1d for few moments
the chamber was in disorder. When
the speaker had quieted the tumutt
Representative Flood turned TO the
Republicans and shouted:
THE senate acaion may not
have iasen satisfactory to the
Leaders NsItb want To plunge this
NJ country into war to satisfy their
81 own political partisan ends.
Once more. the chamber re-
sound with groans and from the
Republicans cafn~ shouts of mo,
no, no."
hut the House. continued
Representative Flood above the
will tie Just rs satisfactory TO the
country as WAS the action Of the
senate
A chorus Of laughter greeted
this statement. and the tension
which for a few moments threat
by ersed serious alteration was
over.
Floods Eloquent Plea.
Representative Flood made an elo-
K r.,
dent. asserting that the agitation OF
Il the warning resolution had tied hi
4 hands IN his negotiations with Ger
many.
This coxntry." he said. ''must
a maintain ita position SIS the great
neutral nation of the world to-
day. We must insist upon the
sss recognition Of those principles ~
N international law which have been
laid down for the conduct OF the
~ nations We must insist upon the
recognition of the rights OF neu-
trails, and the strict adherence OF
- the beiiigerents 10 the rules OF the
game.
s THAT fx what the President IS doini
In the controversy with Germany. II
y insists upon the recognition of on
right 10 travel the open sea IN An,
merchant ship We are now in con
s. frnyersY with Great Britain on
strnila~ point as to how far a bel
G. ltserent can interfere with commerce
Of neutrals II We tie the President
4. hands and force him TO abandon on
!. point In his negotiations with Ger
many. how can he insist upon anothe
point IN controversy with Grea
Britain when once We let 20 on
. solid provision OF international Ia"
we may he forced 70 let Al OF IT 60
Let rs hold up the hands Of tn
President in his night for the lega
rights Of our citizens Then when tn
time shall come we will he in posi-
ton to act az mediator Of the diner
n enres OF the nations Of Europe
One Real Danger.
Representative Flood declared tina
the only real danger OF war in tn
I situation would be an abandonment
m OF the principles OF international law
and the ascknowled cement to tn
Il world that we are not determined Il
insist upon our rights.
S# The debate against the President
& position was concluded by Represen
4 tative Cooper, the ranking Republican
member of the Foreign Affairs Com
: mittee He declared that 10 vot
down the MCLemore resolution mean
giving the President authority TO de
y clare war. and argued that the Presi
y dent was prepared TO press HIS con