Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-27
ROLLS FILL TWENTY-0NE
LARGE CLOTHES BASKETS
Submission Precipitates Debate,
Which Senator Stone Attempts
in Vain to Stem.

urging Congress to prevent the fur
Their expectation of such arms and mu-
millions.
The petition, filling twenty-one large
clothes baskets. each basket contain.
ing a quantity of rolls some forty Ieet
long. tied with red. white ana 1 6iue
Presidents desk before the Senate as
sembled.
Senator Kenyon of Iowa presented
the petition to the Senate he e1piai n :
ed the signatures had been obtained by
the Organization of American women
for Strict Neutrality. with headquarters
IN Baltimore
all parts of the country. A very large
number of the signers are OF German
extraction. as shown by an eXamlna-
ton of some of the rolls.
Debate is Precipitated.
The presentation of the petition pre-
eipitated a debate in the Senate on the
embargo question. which Senator stone.
chairman of the foreign relations COM
mittee vainly attempted to stem.
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska, an
earnest advocate of an embargo on mu-
nitions of war, struck the spark which
reused the chairman of the foreign re-
lations committee to an effort to bring
the debate to an end
Senator Hitchcock demanded that the
petition be referred to the committee
on commerce, instead of to the COM
mittee on foreign relations. insisting
that it had to do with domestic con-
ditions and not with foreign affairs.
He read to the Senate kilograms from
various places in Nebraska demanding
that the government place an embargo
on the shipment of war munitions
abroad until the cars loaded with grain
at the ports of the United States had
been emptied.
The kilograms declared that short
age of cars was threatening to destroy
the grain business of the west. This
shortage, they said. was due to the fact
that the cars were tied up with the
shipments of munitions intended for
the warning countries abroad.
Car Shortage Held Menace.
The car shortage makes the situa-
grams.
cry from the west" said Senator Hitch
cock. even though it will not give
heed to the demands of morality and
humanity involved in this question OF
the shipment Of arms to the belliger-
ents.
"Shan the business OF the west be
paralyzed in order to permit some men
in the east to grow rich off this dam
nable trade in war munitions? These
men are bringing to this country to-
among the nations abroad.
The people abroad are saying now
that the Yankees will continue this
business of shipping arms and NUM-
money out of it,
TT is no business Of any other ma
ton whether we place an embargo on
the shipment of arms or not. We
MT al la
to sell arms to the belligerents and re-
main neutral But We can also put an
embargo on such shipments and remain
neutral also.
Involves Peoples Integrity.
The moral and religious sense of the
country is involved in this question. 1t
involves also the integrity and the SOL
idarity OF the American people. If we
permit this damnable trade to go on, it
will engender hate among the foreign
born population of the country.
1T is not within human nature 20 be-
hold the great resources of this coun-
try dedicated to the manufacture Of
munitions to be sent abroad for the
destruction of their former country
men. and not be aroused L am neutral
myself, and I do not want to see this
country favor either side. / am an
American.
Senator Fletcher of Florida suggest
ed that a solution of the difficulty
brought about in regard to the ship
ment of grain might be arrived at if
American shipping. He pointed out
that today only about a third of the
tonnage carrying American goods
abroad is under American registry
Senator Clapp of Minnesota said that
II was inconsistent for Americans to
load one ship with supplies for the
suffering orphans and widows abroad
and at the same time TO load another
with war munitions to be used in
slaughter.
Senator Stone insisted that the peti.
ton should be referred to the foreign
relations committee. to which all the
embargo revolutions and bills have
been referred. He suggested, too that
the matter of the reference of a petit.
ton was not subject to debate In
this he was supported by Senator
Swanson of Virginia
Vice President Marshall held other.
wise. and Senator Stone then led
from the decision of the chair Thi.
appeal was open to debate, and Senate,
support of the ruling of the Vice Pres.
fdent.
Mr.. Clarke Favors Embargo.
Senator Clarke said he favored ar
embargo on the shipment of arms e
the belligerents. He said. however
that he believed the petition should b,
referred to the foreign relations com
mittee. He Is chairman OF the commerce.
committee TO which Senator Hitchcocl
sought to have the petition referred
and also a member Of the foreign re
latioHs committee.
Senator Ashurst of Arizona also de
clared himself In favor of an embarg,
on the shipment of munitions of war
Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin tol,
the Senate he had recently addresse,
an audience of 1000 farmers in tn
west. which condemned the prepared
ness plan of the administration. H
declared himself against the shipmen
of the munitions OF war to the bellig
srents. Senator Smoot of Utah salt
he was glad this question relating t
the shipment of munitions abroad ha,
been brought up by this petition
signed by q million citizens of tn
United States.
Millions more arc interested in It,
said Senator Smoot. "and / tell 70,
that this II q question which for weeks
and perhaps months. will be discusse,
here and elsewhere"
Petition Finally Il Referred.
After a debate lasting more than al
hour on his appeal from the decision
Of the chair Senator Stone Withdrew
his appeal. Senator Hitchcock then i'm
mediatsly asked unanimous consent Z
withdraw his motion to send the petit
tfon "a thu connmftteA on commArcS