New Britain herald., 1917-09-08

a battalion of colored troops leading
them down there"
II should like to suggest to the
senate that the senator from Georgia
has not the slightest fear that he
will ever see German troops either
in Minnesota or in Georgia, or any
where else in this country" returned
Hardwick.
"You need not mix Minnesota up in
it," shouted Senator Nelson
"You need not mix Georgia in it.
or any colored troops, or any such
other meanness as that in it either"
snapped Senator Hardwick.
ION behalf of the American SOL
dier who goes to meet the. enemy
abroad, I do not want this discrimin-
atory legislation, this humi1iating, be-
lifting legislation to be passed." went
on Senator Nelson.
II don't want to say to these men:
If you boys go over there we will give
you $50 month extra, and to make
this Philgarlick look plausible to go
on the stump with they cover it with
an extra tax, taxing a certain class
of capital to give the boys $50 a
month extra. If I were a young man
and were one of these soldiers,
whether volunteer or a drafted
man, L would spurn such legislation;
l would look upon it with contempt.
There is such a thing in this world
and such a thing among the young
men of the United States as pa
triotism and love of country.
They are not inspired by any such
mercenary disposition as is implied in
this amendment. They are not con-
tinually working up legislation to
make this war unpopular or to ham,
string the government. A large share
of our brave boys are In the Marine
Corps and large share are in the
regular army. They are not as
chicken hearted as are some states
men of whom know. The State
University of Minnesota sent over
a hundred young boys as volunteers
into the United States Marine Corps
Those brave boys marched in review
the other day. They are not clamor-
ing for $50 a month extra. They are
going over to Europe.
mo, this demand comes from an
other source and another inspiration
Nobody is fooled by any such thing
You cannot fool the American people
nor can you fool the American soldier
by any such legislation as this. Our
soldiers, whether they are drafted or
whether they go as volunteers, go as
patriotic American citizens, ready to
do their duty and to do it as good SOL
diers. You need not give them bon
us in order to make them do their
duty fully. They are content to serve
without any special bonus or any spe-
cial inducement, but the very fact
that you coupled this amendment OF
soc a month by conscripting as you
: =. it, certain capitalists shows the
i.ation and what is at the bot
!, the amendment, so that any
1nau who can read will have no mis-
take about it. 1t is to show the peo-
pie what enemies you are of capital:
how anxious you are to get after the
rich.
''You talk about conscripting our
men. Is not our draft law a fair law :?
Does it not reach the rich2 as well as
the poor; the high as we'll as the
low? Is there any exemption in the
draft law which says that poor men,
men of moderate circumstances only,
shall go, and that none of the rich
shall go? That law is general; it af-
fects the rich and the poor; the high
and the low, within the age limit all
alike.
! What is most CALLING in this am
endment is that it implies that the
| American soldier who goes abroad to
fight the battles of this country is a
mercenary being, and that he will not
| carry the banner and flag of the
| United States against the enemy un.
! less he receives an extra bonus of $50
a month, which is to be squeezed GU,
of some capitalists
Hardwick, in Rage, Replies.
Senator Hardwick, his face livid
| replied to Senator Nelson's attack
saying that he had opposed the ,draf
| vlaw because he believed it uncon
stitutional. He challenged the asser
ton that he was unpatriotic.
when has it come to pass in thi
country that a man is to be denie
the right of free speech?" he asked.
"Since when have senators oppos
ing war legislation from matter {
principle come to be regarded as ur
loyal? I am responsible to my cor
stituency for my acts and to them
look for vindication, and not to mem
bers of Congress who stand up an
try to pluck all the feathers out {
the bird of freedom-the America
Eagle.
cam I to be arraigned because
dare to speak my mind in the Ser
ate? Am to be indicted because
exercise my constitutional privilee
, of free speech?"
Senator Chamberlain took the a.
tack against the Georgian, sayin
that it was wrong Of senators to a
tempt to delude the people into b.
, lieving that the selective draft law
, unconstitutional. He insisted th'
such an Interpretation was false ar
that no senator has the right to {
before the country spreading
America, said Senator Chamberlai
:. must know that she faces a gra,
r peril, and the whole people must
| aro,Sed