The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-04-04

The issue Is not peace or war. War
has already been declared upon us.
The issue Is whether we shall accept
war or abject and cowardly submis-
sion" The Zimmerman plot to incite
Mexico against this country, reaches
the lowest depths Of national turpi-
tude." Swanson said.
Senator Lodge in supporting the war
resolution declared that the United
States should seize the German mer-
chant ships now in American ports
and use them to replace ships Ger
many has sunk by submarines.
mo one is more conscious than
that this is a moment for action and
not for debate" said MIR. Lodge. But
wish briefly to state why / support
| 1t with the greatest earnestness of
which / am capable.
The most momentous power en-
trusted to congress by the constitution
Is the authority To declare war and
never has congress been called to a
more solemn exercise OF this great
power than at this moment. We have
submitted to wrongs and outrages
from the central powers of Europe
with a long patience. We have borne
and foreborne to the very limit of en-
durance. Now the inevitable end Is
here and we are about to declare war
against Germany.
for my associates generally on this
side of the chamber. 1 desire to say
that in this crisis and when the coun-
try Is at war, Iarty lines will disap-
pear and this disappearance of the
party lines. will, l am confident not be
confined to tine minority. AS An,e ricans
We shall all I am sure be prepared to
give to the executive money. men and
all the necessary powers for waging
f.nrrn1nU driving
ward to a successful conclusion.
The president has said that war
will involve the utmost practicable
in council and action
with the governments now at war with
Germany ! am not only in agreement
with this policy advised by the presi-
dent, but it seems to me that nothing
is more important than to follow it
out.
'I am as thoroughly believer in
the general policy handed down by
Washington when he advised the peo-
pie OF the. United States not to enter
into permanent alliances: but the man
who won the American revolution
through the alliance with France
would have been the last to lay down
q hard and fast rule that under no cir
cumstances and for no purposes were
we ever to ally ourselves with other
nations"
"It would be madness for US to at
tempt to make war alone on Germany
and find ourselves. perhaps, at the end
left isolated. at war with that power,
when all the nations have made peace
because we have not associated our
selves with them. The allies are Tight
ing a common foe and their foe is now
ours. We cannot send an army across
the ocean for we have no army 20
send. Yet. I should be glad for one
= 4 "a
regular troops. so that the flag of the
United States might at least be un-
furled in the fields of France. / be-
lieve that the mere sight OF that flag
in that region made 30 desolate by VIC
would stimulate the courage and help
the success of those who have the
same aim that we have and who seek
the same victory"
Senator Stone of the senate foreign
relations committee in a speech OPP
posed the war resolution but pledged
himself TO do everything in his power
to help wage war successfully.
Senator Vardaman. Democrat of
Mississippi. was the first senate speak
er on the war resolution to announces
he would vote against it.
Senator Norris. Republican OF
Nebraska. told the senate he was "bit-
terly opposed to the United States
entering the war" but did not datly
state that he would vote against the
war resolution.
Wall street interests. he asserted,
are interested in profting from AM
erica's participation. He also declared
q large number of newspapers and
news agencies ahve been controlled
and enlisted in the greatest propaRanda
that the world has ever known %
manufacture sentiment for war
After debate on the administration
war resolution in the senate had pro-
ceeded two hours Democratic leaders
expressed q belier 4 vote would b
reached early this evening and thai
only an unusually long speech hy
Senator IsaFollette would nostnone
action kevond that fisne