Omaha daily bee., 1917-04-07
WAR RESOLUTION
PASSED BY HOUSE
Measure Goes Through Early
Friday Morning After De-
bate of Seventeen Hours.
FIFTY VOTES AGAINST IT

Washington, April 6-The senate
resolution declaring state of war
exists with Germany passed the house
early this morning by vote of 373
to 50.
President Wilson will sign the reso-
luton as soon as Vice President Mar
shall has attached his signature in the
senate. It formally accepts the state of
belligerency forced by German ag-
gressions and authorizes and directs
the president to employ the military
and naval forces and all the resources
OF the nation to bring war against
Germany to successful termination.
Amendments Fail.
Without roll calls the house reject
ed all amendments, including propos-
ais to prohibit the sending of any
troops overseas without congressional
authority.
Passage Of the resolution followed
seventeen hours of debate. There was
no attempt to filibuster, but the paci-
fist group, under the leadership of
Democratic Leader Kitchin, pro-
longed the discussion with .impas-
stoned speeches, declaring conscience
would not permit them to support the
presidents recommendation that
state of war be declared.
Miss Rankin of Montana, the only
woman member of congress, sat
through the first roll call with bowed
head, failing to answer to her name,
twice called by the clerk.
Amendments Rejected.
The house rejected an amendment
by Representative McCulloch provid-
ing that none of the United States
military forces may be transported
for service in any European country
except on express approval by con-
gress.
Representative Britten's amendment
prohibiting use of any part of the
American military forces in Europe,
Africa or Asia, except those troops
who specifically volunteer for such
service, also was rejected.
Cannot Vote for War.
On the second roll call Miss Rankin
rose and said in sobbing voice: II
want to stand by my country, but I
cannot vote for war" For a moment
then she remained standing support
ing herself against desk and as cries
of vote, vote" came from several
parts Of the house she sank back into
her seat without voting audibly. She
was recorded in the negative.
Cheers greeted the announcement
of the result. A few minutes later
Speaker Clark signed the resolution
and the house adjourned to meet
again Monday and take up the adj
recommendation for |
war legislation.
f. Eighty Want to Speak. |
By 2. o'clock this morning more !
than eighty representatives had made |
speeches on the war resolutions and
many others were waiting for an op-
portunity to speak.
Just before 2 o'clock Miss Jeanette
representative from Montana,
who had waited in her office through |
most of the evening, entered the
chamber and took a seat.
For the most part the discussion
proceeded with an air of unemo ..onal
acquiescence, scores of members max
ing brief speeches to put themselves
on record as reluctantly accepting
war as the only course of honor.
During the day the debate revealed
IN unexpected strength in the mi
1ority opposing the resolution Con-
ident predictions of not more than
dozen votes against it gave place to-
light to reports that the opposition
night muster upward of 100 on the
inal roll call, and supporters of the
esolution conceded that the number
o vote in the negative probably
would be more than fifty.
Mr.. Kitchin's opposition drew an
following from among the
'roup who have opposed prepared
less and armed neutrality and tonight
many of them who had sat silent and
,lum in the rear of the chamber
throughout the day moved down in
ront and spoke against the resolu-
ion.