The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-12-12
war AGAINST AUSTRIA.
PRESIDENT SIGNS RESOLUTION
PASSED IN SENATE AND
HOUSE.
Only Representative London Casts
Ballot in Negative--Adoption Fol.
lows Brief Discussion With Prac.
ticnily all Agreed as To Course.

sress. with one dissenting vote in
the house. adopted and President Will
son approved resolution declaring
existence OF a state OF war between
she imperial and royal Austro- Hun
sarian government and the govern
ment and people OF the United
states" authorizing the president to
employ the nations armed forces
and pledging its resources to victory.
The resolution. the response OF
consress to the presidents request in
his address Tuesday In similar TO tina:
passed April s declaring war with
Germany. IL becomes effective ut
e.os y. m. today. when il was signed
by the executive without formality
An executive proclamation will fol-
low shortly.
After only one hours deliberation
che resolution was unanimously adopt
ed by the senate with an affirmative
vote OF "a. 1t was approved by the
house 363 to one. Representative Lor-
don. the New York Socialist. casting
the only dissenting vote. A few min
utes later. Vice President Marshall
and Speaker Clark had signed the
document and sent it to the White
House where the president attached
his signature with Secretary Tumulty
and Assistant Secretary Forester rs
The only witnesses.
The resolution follows:
~. Joint resolution:
Declaring that state of war ex
ists between the imperial and roya,
Austro-Hungarian government and
the government and people of the
United States. and making provision
to prosecute the same.
Whereas the imperial and royal
Austro-Hungarian government has
committed repeated acts OF war
asainst the government and the peo-
pie Of the United States of America:
therefore. be IL
RESOLVED by the senate and house
of representatives of the United States
OF America in congress assembled,
That state OF war Is hereby declared
TO exist between the United States
OF America and the imperial and roy
nj Austro-Hungarian government;
and that the president be. and he Is
hereby. authorized and directed t.
employ the entire naval and military
forces OF the United States and the re
sources OF the government TO carry on
war against the imperial and royal
Austro-Hungarian government; and
TO bring the conflict to a successful
termination all the resources of the
country are hereby pledged by the
congress OF the United States.
signatures:
Champ Clark,
Speaker OF the House OF Repre,euta-
tives.
Thomas II. Marshall,
Vice President OF the United States
and President OF the Senate.
Approved Z December. 1917.
Woodrow WILSON,
In accord with President Wilson's
suggestion action in respect TO Tur-
hey and Bulgaria. Germany's other al
lies. was left to the future. Wide.
spread demand in congress for their
inclusion in the declaration was in
dicated in both senate and house de-
bate. but when the roll calls came
the presidents advice was followed I'm
demonstration OF American unity
and harmony. Representative Lon
don, who cast the one negative vote,
explained his opposition by stating
that he was pledged to that course by
the Socialist party
Debate In both houses was unex-
pectediy brief. lasting only an hour
In the senate and only two hours and
40 minutes i'm the house Also. i'm
sharp contrast TO the discussion which
preceded the war declaration against
Germany last April It was almost de-
void OF spectacular features.
The senate acted first on the res
oiution presented by Chairman stone
CT tho foreign affairs committee. AZ.
ter brief addresses by Senator's stone.
Lodge. Hitchcock. owen and Varda-
nan'the roll call followed. When the
document was transmitted to the
house foreign relations committee af-
ter conferences with state department
officials.
Senator Stone, who had charge OF
the resolution: Gronna. Norris anu