The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-03


 In one of the greatest nonpartisan debates the Senate has seen in years, Chairman Stone of the foreign rela- tions committee declared he was not in accord with the President, Senator Lodge, the ranking republican, pledged his support to the Presidents determination to secure to Americans their rights on the high seas, and Senator John Sharp Williams, just from sick bed, delivered whitening denunciation of the Presidents oppo- nents. The Senate adjourned until to- morrow morning at Il o'clock, when the administration leaders plan to bring lsps the Gore resolution and ta- ble it, disposing of it finally as an embarrassment to the President in his conduct of diplomatic negotiations with Germany. They have found that not more than 23 votes can be mus tered against them.
 OPPOSITION BREAKS UP
 In the House. where the President was faced with further delay, the promise of administration victory in the Senate gave signs of breaking up the opposition and the leaders were confident tonight of similar action there.
 While the Senate debated there
 4
 from Berlin which convinced off
 cia's that the dissension in Con-
 gress was being used deliberately
 to weaken the Presidents hand
 in Germany. Confidential advices
 stated that reports circulated in
 the German capital, as having
 come from Washington, declared
 that Congress stood 5 to 1 against
 the President.
 Out of the Senate debate came turn which for the moment threatened to overshadow the real features of the contest and probably disclosed the basis for the agitation at the capitol
 GORE AMAZES SENATE
 Senator Gore. while the Senate sat rapt in amazement, related story that President Wilson at his confer ence with Congress leaders a week ago had declared that Germanys in sistance on her position in the sub- marine controversy probably would result in breach of diplomatic rela- tions; that breach probably would be followed by war; and that "a state of war might not be of itself and of necessity an evil to this republic, but that the United States by entering upon war now might be able to bring it to a conclusion by midsummer and thus render a great service. to civili- zation.r
 MT. Gore declared that he did not say the story was true, but that it came to him with such concurrence of testimony and such marks of truth that he did not feel that he could dis charge his duty as senator and with hold it.
 DENIED BY STONE
 Chairman Stone of the foreign rela- tions committee at once replied that x the President never had stated to him nor in his hearing that he believed or in any way entertained the thought Cuat war DetWeeu the OulteO OtdtcS and Germany would be desirable or would result in good to the United States.
 When the White House heard what Senator Gore had said this statement was issued
 When the attention of the
 White House was called to certain
 statements in Senator Cores
 speech this afternoon the President
 authorized an unqualified denial of
 any utterance to which any such meaning could be attached
 It was explained on his behalf that the President had told the congress- men he could not predict what would follow breaking off of diplomatic relations and had expressed in the most vigorous terms his hope that the Uni- ted States would not be drawn into war and his determination to continue to bend his every effort to prevent 1t. It was denied that the President said