The Raymer enterprise., 1917-04-12
Congress Declares a State Of
War Exists With the Impe.
rial Government.
HEATED DEBATE IN SENATE
Ia Toilette, Gronna. Stone, Norris,
vardaman and Lane Vote Against
Resolutlon-Great Majority
for the Measure In the
Lower House.


Washington. April 8.-The United
States Is now formally at war with
Germany. In response to the presi-
dents message congress has adopted
the resolution declaring that q stnte
Of war exists between the two eoun-
ttea
The senate was the first to act on
the war resolution and adopted II by a
vote Of 81 to Q. The six senators who
voted against the resolution for war
were:
AISLE J. oRoNNA. Republican.
North Dakota.
HARRY LANE, Democrat, Oregon.
r. NJ. Ia TOILETTE, Republican,
Wisconsin.
q. W. NORRIS, Republican. Ne
braska.
WILLIAM J. STONE. Democrat,
Missouri.
J. X. vARpAMAN. Democrat, Mis-
slsslppi.
There were eight senators absent or
paired. They we're. Bankhend, Goff.
Gore. Hollis. Newlands. Smith Of
Maryland. Thomas. and TIllman. OF
those absent It was announced that all
except Senator Gore Of Oklahoma
would have voted for the resolution II
present
All SIX Of the senators who voted
against the resolution were members
II the group Of twelve which de-
feated the armed neutrality bill at the
last session. There was no attempt
to fllbuster this time. however.
Thirteen Hour Debate.
Thirteen hours of heated debate
preceded the vote. Party lines dis
appeared In this discussion and Repub-
licans Joined with Democrats In sound
ing the call to the nation to support
the president unItedly.
The little group opposed to the reso-
lutlon drew fire from every side. SEN
stor La Toilette. defending Germany
and heaplng 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 effrontery.
Senator Norris, charging that the
United States Is going to war at the
behest Of the munitibn 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 60
Ing 10 war on the demand of gold, he
said, was "an indictment OF the presi.
dent of the United States, nn Indict.
ment OF congress. Of the American peo-
pie, and of the truth"
THE president Is not calling Amer.
lea TO arms for the sake OF n few
paltry dollars" Senator Reed contln.
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 a
brief statement In which he said that
the present time was one for action,
not discussion"
'rrhe time for discussion has
passed" he said. '"The president has
stated clearly, effectively. more con.
eluslvely the reasons which make this
grave step necessary. The resolution
provides for war against the imperial
German government. Ii places re-
sponslblllty for the war sauarely upon
the shoulders Of the German govern
ment. charged with repeated acts of
war against the United States.
ave 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 are
going to war to vindleate our honor
and independence as a 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 to
avoid l. For nearly three years the
president. congress. and the American
people have hoped to avoid II. But
one desperate act 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.
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