The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-05
RUNNING STORY OF DEBATE
 MN SEEN ATE ON WAR RRESOLUTION

peace, because we had not associated ourselves with them. The allies of the | entente, as they are called, are fight ing common foe, and their foe is now 1 ours
 We cannot send great army across the ocean, for we have no army to send. Yet l should be glad if we could send 10000 men of our regular troops, so that | the flag of the United States might at least be unfurled in the fields of France. believe that the mere sight of that flag would stimulate the courage and help the | success of those who have the same aim | that we have. We can also help the allies, as the President recommends, with large credits and with those supplies which we can furnish and which they lack. We cannot do more in any direction to bring | this war to a speedy end than to give l those credits and furnish those supplies" Senator Lodge said one of the first acts 1 of the United States should be to seize the German ships now in American ports and putting that tonnage fin the world S 1 service
 1 "We have never been a military na- 1 tion,' MT. Lodge continued. We are not prepared for war in the modern sense, l but we have vast resources and unbound ed energies and the day when war is declared we should devote ourselves to l calling out those resources and organiz- l used with the utmost effect in hastening | the complete victory. The worst of all wars is a feeble war. War is too awful to be entered upon half-heartedly. If we fight at all We must fight for all we are worth. It must be no weak, hesi- | tating war. The most merciful war is that which most vigorously is waged, and which comes most quickly to an end. THINGS WORSE THAN WAR
 There are in my opinion some things worse for a nation than war. National ldegeneracy is worse; national cowardice IS worse. The division of our people into race groups, striving to direct the course of the United States in the interest of | some other country when we should have
 but one allegiance, one hope, on tradi- ton. All these dangers have been gath ering about us, and darkening the horizon during the last three years. Whatever suffering and misery war may bring it will at least sweep these foul things | away
 Il believe that on our entrance into 1 this war, under the conditions which it has assumed, our future peace, our inde- pendence as proud and high-spirited | nation our very security are at stake But there is a still higher purpose here as l look upon it. We do not enter upon | this war to secure victory for one na- | tion as against another.
 we enter this war to unite with those who are fighting the common foe in order | to preserve human freedom, democracy. and modern civilization. This war is war as I see it against barbarism. not the anarchical barbarism panopled in all the devices for the destruction of human life which science, beneficent science can bring forth.
 1 We are resisting an effort to throw l mankind back to forms of government, to political creeds and method of conquest l which we had hoped to resist we had hoped disappeared forever from the world. We are fighting a nation, which in the fashion of centuries ago, drags the inhabitants of conquered lands into slavery, which carries off women and girls for even worse purposes; which in it's mad desire to conquer mankind and trampie them under foot has stopped at no wrong; has regarded no treaty"
 VARDAMAN SPEAKS
 Senator Vardaman said he wished he could vote with the majority, but that he must follow the paths of duty as he sees it.''
 T must see the path of duty through the mists of passion,' he continued.
 "The atmosphere enveloping this capitol for the past year has been surcharged with the spirit of prejudice, hate and love t-all good and bad passons-until men have lost their bearings and their poise Of all the times when Congress and the people should keep their heads, now is the time.''
 "The provocation is great he said re- l ferring to German acts against this coun- | try. 'The tide of passion runs high. | Each senator should remember that he may, by his vote, be signing the death warrant of hundreds of thousands and burdening generations with crushing bur- dens endangering it's very existence For the life of me I cannot believe that war is for the welfare of the world or the people of this nation, I do not con done the crimes of the German govern | ment against the people of the United States, and I would not deny that the law has been violated, and that we have the right 10 declare war;
 Senator Vardaman said if the United States entering the war would help end it, there would be some use in adopting the resolution, but that "he believed our entrance would only serve to postpone 1 the day of settlement.
 THE ISSUES
 The senator said the issue of war or peace should be submitted to the people who must fight the war. 'Tf it was," said he, it is my opinion we would not make war on Germany" T am not going to vote for this resolu- tion,' said Senator Vardaman who con- tinued
 q do not believe it is necessary to /, go to war. But I am not going to delay or interfere with it's passage"
 He added that if war came he would support the President and give him the men and money he needed Senator Stone, chairman of the foreign relations committee, said in opposition to the resolution:
 q fear that Congress is about to in volve the United States in this European war, and when you do that, my belief is
 that you will commit the greatest na- tional blunder of history: l shall vote Iagainst committing this mistake to pre- vent which I would gladly lay down my life
 But if the constituted powers of my authorized to speak for the people on war, and we go into the war, then shall cast all doubts and forebodings to the winds, and my eyes will be blind to every thing but the flag of my country borne by American boys through the storm of war and my ears will be deaf to every call except the clarion of my country in it's hour of peril. To my countrymen say that wsr;e we may differ as we do. 1 about the policy of entering this war, once in it, all differences must melt. In war there can be no divided patriotism. If we declare for war there must be no halting; we must make war in earnest. | We know what that means. but when war is declared, if it Is declared, honor 1 and patriotism will demand that we