The Dermott news., 1917-04-12
Congress Declares a State OF
War Exists With the Impe-
rial Government.
HEATED DEBATE IN SENATE
"a Toilette, Gronna, Stone, Norris,
Vardaman and Lane Vote Against
ResoIut ion-Great Majority
for the Measure in the
Lower House

Washington. April 6.=fhe United
States is now formally RI war with
Germany In response Ia the preSi-
dents message congress has adopted
the resolution declaring that Il state
of war exists between the two coun-
tries.
The senate was the first to net on
the war resolution and adopted it hy Il
vote of 81 to G. The So senators who
voted against the resolution for VAR
were
AISLE J. GRoNNA. Republican,
North Dakota.
HARRY LANE. Democrat, Oregon.
E. M. IA TOILETTE, Republican.
Wisconsin,
G. W. NORRIS. Republican. Ne
oraska
WILLIAM }. STONE, Democrat.
Missouri
j. x. VARoAMAN, Democrat, Mis-.
sissippi.
There We're eight senator's absent or
paired. They We're Rankhead Gofr.
Gore, Hollis. NewIandS, smith of
Maryland, Thomas. and rillman. Of
those absent IT WIS announced that all
except Senator Gore of oklahoma
would have voted for the resolution if
present.
All six of the senator's who voted
against the resolution were members
OF the group of twelve. which de-
feated the armed neutrality bill ut the
last session There was no attempt
10 tilibuSter this time. however.
Thirteen Hour Debate.
Thirteen hours of heated debate
preceded the vote Party lines dis
appeared In this discussion and Repuh.
hcans joined with Democrats in sound
ing the call to the nation to support
the president unitedy.
The little group opposed to the reso-
luton drew fire from every side Sen
ator La Toilette. defending Germany
and heaping blame upon England was
Informed by Senator Williams that DR.
Won Bethmann- HollWeg, the German
chancellor, would have made the same
speech in the reichStag had he been
imbued with sufficient efTrontery
Senator Norris. charging that the
United STATES is going to war mt the
behest of the munition baronS of Wall
street. drew from Senator Reed the re-
tort that such an accusation is al
most treason"
The assertion that the nation was 90
Ing to war on the demand Of gold he
said, was IAN indictment of the presi-
dent of the United States. an indiet-
ment Of congress. of the American peo-
pie. and of the truth.
The president is not calling Amer
lea 10 arms for the sake OF a few
paitry dollars" senator Reed contin-
ued but for the life, honor and in.
tegrity Of this country"
Introduced by Hitchcock.
In introducing the resolution into
the senate Senator Hitchcock made II
bret statement in which he said that
the present time was one for action.
not discussion"
The time for discussion hnS
passed" he said The president has
stated clearly, effectively. more con
elusively the reasons which make this
grave step necessary The resolution
provides for war against the imperial
German government. II places re
sponSihlUY fer the war squJrely upon
The shoulders of the German govern
ment charged with repeated acts Of
w~r against the United States.
I'VE want no more territory. We
will demand no indemnity. We have
no grudge to settle, nor racial anti
pathy. We will spend our treasure
and our blood and sacrifice our lives
without the thought of gain. We nre
going To war to vindicate our honor
and Independence ms great nation
and in defense of humanity
"Such quarrel as we have with Ger
many is not of our choosing II WAS
forced upon us and we did much Ia
avoid II. For nearly three years the
president, congress, and the American
people have hoped to avoid il, But
one desperate net by the imperial Ger
man government has followed an
other"
German Pledges Broken.
Senator Hitchcock was followed by
Senator Swanson Of Virginia, who said
the German government has repeat
VII SON IS UPHELD IN [ OMD0N