New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-05
Senate 81 to 6
for War; House
To Act Today
There Were Speeches
By c. W. Gilbert

Is exercising its power 70 declare war.
If the Dreams of those who believe that
this war is "the war against war come
true, it may be long time before an
other occasion like this one arises. II
is. therefore, worth while, perhaps, to
apprase the debate in the national
legislature. Properly speaking, It
wasn't debate.
There were speeches, but they didn't
answer each other. There were per
sonal explanations, but not spurred to
great effectiveness by the sense OF OPP
position 10 be overcome. IL was known
that the war resolution would have An
enormous majority, and a cause which
has the unquestioned support of the
ma. ority from the outset pays the PEN
alt of being only half expressed.
Senator Lodge spoke eloquently, as ne
always does, but not as he would have
spoken if he had had a fight upon his
hands. For the most part, those who
favored war said the familiar things
in the familiar way. No new thought
was disclosed.
The reasons advanced were good
enough strength Of the case
against Germany assured that-but they
were not passonately conceived. Trey
bore the marks of intellect rather than
faith. And feeling. so far as it was eX-
! hibited, was the feeling Of seriousness
rather than any more intense emotion.
! The occasion was digniied rather than
stirring. The national will in entering
the war is either only forming or only
dimlv sensed. President Wilson has
expressed it better than any one in the
/ Senate did. He voiced it in words OF
idealism such as no one in to-day's de-
bate was able to approach. SO far as
words go, at least, Mr. Wilson is the
! country's leader.
The opposition was not any more
fortunate. President Wilson has said
that this is not war of hatred. and as
yet it is being undertaken without pass
sion.
II X pity that While this benign
mood remains. the real opposition, the
blind bewilderment OF the Middle West
was not honestly voiced. ! suspect that
we should find in it a good deal OF the
old America, the provincial America or
+ school book days. with its self-com-
( placency shaken by the sense that
we are not, after all. so mucn better
, than peoples OF Europe are. but capable,
| like them, OF getting into Insensate
quarrels, and with its sense % security
shattered by the sudden realization
that our physical isolation does not
mean so much after all as we mad
fondly trusted it did. II Is the America
which Judges Germany by the smiable
German grOcerymsn of the village, a
thorough human being of the crop OF
Germans who came 10 this country be-
fore Germans were educated into be
ing, as Wells says. Germans first and
human beings afterward. II the oppo-
sition could have been honestly voiced
we should have found in It something
/ familiar and rural. something Idealistlc
and laundering, with reminders OF a
vision that a good many of us may have
once thought big enough for a nation
/ that was to be an example 20 all the
/ world.
II this opposition could have been
presented in all its pathos it would
have been hard TO deny i sympathy and
patience. But Senator Stone was not
me man TO voice it. Stone is the best
politician in either House. He spoke
like an alien with stake in the coun
try. At present he is an alien with
stake i'm the Democratic party-his JOB
as chairman of the Senate Foreign Re-
lations Committee. When war is d.
clared he will be the first TO enlist and
none will fight harder You know the
rest. And all the other politicians
among the wilful twelve paid Stone
! the tribute OF following his lead or o.
outdoing him. Neither did Senator
La Toilette speak with yoice of the
real Middle Western opposition. l.
would be impossible for a man so con
gcious Of the way he wears his hair,
} one who occupies so central seat IN
the Senate hoor, one who times his
comings and goings with such exact
ness as he does, to speak with the real
voice Of the Middle West. Il is always
a temptation 20 impugn motives. but
IL is only fair 20 insist that man
should pay the penalty OF that pair.
that central seat and those dramtic
entrances and exits.
I IL was the greatest dayof La Follette's
life. La Toilette, who had fought rail
roads and trusts and organized wealth
+ and bushwhacked against senatorial
courtesy, held the floor for hours
fghting war itself He exposed the
perfdy of England like the German
+ Chancellor himself. He demolished
that man Of straw American neutrallty
! and strewed the fragments about the
floor. He knew about Algeciras. He
was legalistic. lie was able. He was
thorough But il was La Toilette that
spoke and not the Middle West. re-
! gretful or resentful over passing illu-
+ Sions or not, yet ready 20 grant that
( they were illusions.
As for poor Senator Norris, La
Toilette is too heady company for
? linn. Contact with the stronger man
.betrays him into unrcasoned IAN
cuage. The fixing of public attention
upon his words about putting The dol
/ lar sign on the flag was the one sur-
ring moment in the oratory Of the day.
( l. was hardly worth while, for the
fate OF Norris isn't important. How
; ever. it s now sealed.
Wilson Speech Hits