Arizona republican., 1917-02-08

part of wisdom if the president had
postponed the severance of diplomatic
relations with Germany at least until
Germany had committed some overt
act offensive to this government and
sufficiently aggravated to warrant
step so grave in possible consequence;
but the president took a different
view which with great ability he
strongly supported in his address be-
fore the joint session.
Il think it both wise and advisable
for the senate to say officially that it
accept and approve this action of the
nations chief magistrate"
Senator Kirby made his first address
to the senate, an impassioned declara
ton that he would not support the
resolution.
Il regard it as preliminary decla-
ration of war" he said, "if the resolu-
ton shall be voted upon favorably to-
dav | do not believe the time has
come in the history of this country
when we shall side w,th Germany or
when we shall side with the allies. The
time has not come in my opinion when
we should commit ourselves by the
adoption of this resolution to any pol
icy that the president may hereafter
pursue Under the constitution and the
law he has no power to declare war,
+ but he has in fact the power to plunge
/ the nation into war and to make it
necessary for congress to declare 1t,
! and he has almost done So
Senator Lodge, ranking republican
member of the foreign relations COM
mittee, led the discussion in favor Of
I the resolution for the minority. he
asserted that the president had taken
grave action and that he felt it his duty
to support him ito the utmost of my
power
He also appealed to the senate
against division in the crisis as the
best guaranty to preserve peace.
My earnest hope" said Senator
Lodge, is that at this time personal
feelings. political feelings political en-
mites will be laid aside, that We re-
member only that VIC are citizens of a
common country, that we are all Amer
leans and that our first duty is to
stand together in this controversy,
which has unhappily arisen with an
other nation, and let that nation and
the world know that when the presi-
dent speaks. as he has spoken, he has
the congress of the United States and
matter what their race or origin, be-
hind him in the one simple character
of American citizens"
Senators Vardaman, Gronna and
Works declared they could not support
the resolution because they did not be-
lieve the presidents course wise or
justified by the facts. All feared also
! that it would lead to war. Senator La
Toilette made no address but an
nounced he would do so later. All who
spoke We're emphatic in their support
Of the government if war should come.
one of the stirring addresses was
! delivered from the democratic side by
Senator Underwood who deprecated
the presence Of the resolution before
the senate, although ne voted for it.
He drew from Senator Stone the ad-
mission that the president had not
been consulted regarding introduction
of the resolution. The president
reached his room near the senate
chamber while the debate was going
on, but left Immediately without con-
sulting any senators as soon as he
learned what was under discussion.
: Senator Sherman, republican, pro-
: nounced the German declaration of
ruthless submarine warfare the most
unjustifiable proclamation to the ma
lions of the world "since the days of
; the Corsairs since Drake and Fro
bisher. when pirates sailed the seas"
Senator BOrah, republican. declared
the presidents course was taken solely
with a view to maintaining neutral
rights. He warned asainst entering
the war, declaring that entangling al
liances thus inevitable would be the
most disastrous thing that could hap
r1pn to the country