The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-08
GARDNER JUMPED BY THREE COLLEAGUES Criticized for His Remarks
 on German-Americans DEMOCRATS HOLD OFF Stafford of Wisconsin Says Massa- chusetts Volunteers in Spanish
 American War Tried to Evade
 Being Sent to the Front

Washington, January 7.AHot criticism from three republican colleagues was drawn by Representative Gardner of Mas attacked German-Americans, during a speech on proposals for a munitions em- bargo.
 Representatives Stafford of Wisconsin and Longworth of Ohio, whose districts are German-American centers, denounced his statements as unwarranted and par tlcularly improper at this time. Repre- sentative Cooper of Wisconsin joined in the criticism, but he had just had time to declare that MT. Gardner's speech might be expected in the British Parlia- ment when point of order cut short the discussion.
 Later MT. Stafford apologized for what had been construed as a reflection on MT. Gardner's Spanish war service, after Rep resentative Moore of Pennsylvania had produced the official record showing that the Massachusetts representative had been promoted for bravery MT. Gard ner had left the House after speaking.
 No democrats joined in the argument but they divided their applause between MT Gardner and his critics.
 'Who here," asked MT. Stafford when he took the floor, "in whose veins flows any Teutonic blood but that sympathizes with the fatherland? But mere sympathy for the fatherland does not conflict with the loyalty to the Stars and Stripes. If Germany or Austria Hungary should attempt by any deliberate act to invade cur rights l am sure those German Americans who in times past have shown their loyalty would do so again. Not however, as some of the noble volunteers from effete New England in the Spanish American war did when they enlisted for that little war, yes, that disreputable little war against a little and crumbling country, when after they enlisted they lad their mothers go and beg Governor Wolcott of Massachusetts not to send them to the front.''
 MT. Longworth termed Mr. Gardner S address reckless and incorporate" and spoke of the munitions charge as a wholly and absolutely false imputation."
 'I regret that he made the speech" he said. This is not the time to bring up questions that will fan the flame of hatred in this country.
 "Amen!' shouted Representative "Cyclone' Davis of Texas.
 MT, Gardner's address was a carefully prepared argument against an embargo, ir the course of which he said:
 ''The German-American demands the embargo out of love for the fatherland, the cotton king joins in the chorus out of love for mammon and the pacficist adds his hallelujah out of love for God. Upon my word, I think the German-American is the best man of them all. His motives may be hyphenitic, but they are not neu- rotic. His performances may skirt on treason, but they are not shabby. Frankly he demands that we shall balance by legislation an inequality achieved by Great Britain's triumph over Germany at sea. His reasoning is simple and from his point of view it is sound. 'Ammuni- tion,' says he, helps the allies, so by hook. or by crook, by laws or by strikes, by gold or by dynamite, by torpedo or by mine. let us do what we can to keep ammunition from reaching our enc mies' ' s