Macon beacon., 1917-09-07

CONGRESSMAN PAT HARRISON
from Mississippi Commenting on this
note, which was approved by Americans
everywhere Senator Nardaman had TINS
to say: "Ths suggestion Is mnstrous' IL
Congress shall permit this country 10 be
drawn into war with Germany or any OF
the other belligeTent powers tor the rea
sens assigned by President Wilson IN ms
messages, the members thereof WI de-
serve the eternal eNeCratinn ana final re-
pudiation of the American people. pro-
test against such an indefenshle act be-
Ing committed in the name Of human
ity." 1t was such utteraRces as these
and tho assistance our junior Senator
was giving to our enemies that led every
German paper In this country and many
In Germany to speak loud In their praise
of him.
Vardar>an's Acts Dtscredlted.
But in spite of the encouragement given
Germany by the Junior Senator from MIS-
sissippi and others, whose sympathies
were the same as his. the imperial Ger
man government yielded to the demands
Of the President, admitted her inability
under international law to legally carry
on a ruthless submarine warfare. and
agreed to conduct her submarine opera
tions with due regard to the rights OF
neutrals Again American rights were
upheld and the patriotic stand Of the
President was applauded around the
world. But as Won Bethmann-H Hollweg
few months later said, Germany only
agreed to make these promises 80 that
they might build more submarines those
pledges We're repudiated and another an
nouncement was made by Germany that
II would continue to carry on q ruthless.
unrestricted submarine warfare. OF
course the nation was aroused the Amer
cRn people were angercd and indignant;
the press of the country clamored for
war, but Mr.. Wilson, with characteristic
calm and reserve, raised his hands to the
clamoring throngs and pleaded with them
to be patient. He then came to Congress
and requested, not a declaration OF war,
but law that would give him authority
70 arm the merchant vessels belonging to
citizens of this countr" that the lives and
property of our people might be pro-
tected on tho high seas.
The bill passed the House of Represen-
tatives overwhelmingly and went to the
Senate, whore in the closing hours of the
ixty-fourth Congress, six Senators. hav-
ing power, under the rules of the Sem
ate to strangle. legislation. opposed the
measure and accomplished its defeat. OF
that six. the junior Senator from Missis-
sippi was one VINO persistently fought to
defeat the will Of the American Con-
gress He was not willing to let the
President exhaust every remedy before
actually going to war. The failure Of
that law to pass only magnified In Ger
many the idea that the American people
were not behind their President. 1t en-
couraged them tn further atrocities.
In the meantime We were forced to
break off diplomatic relations with Ger
many, and our situation was rapidly grow
ing more intoerable. Germanv's utter
disregard of the rights OF neutrals and
her contempt for humanity led her into
enlargng her lawless operations More
Of our ships were sunk, more Of our
property was destroyed, and more Ameri
can lives lost
War Problem Fought.
At last when the outrages could no
longer be endured this man who for
three years had patiently waited. hoping
that Germany would yet allow us tn re-
main at peace, saw there was no further
hope of settlements, he convened Con-
gress in extraordinary session and re-
Quested that he be given authority to use
the armed forces of the nation. on land
and sea, in protecting the lives and prop
erty Of American citizens
The resolution declaring that a state
OF war existed was passed through the
House of Representatives by an over
whelming vote, and In the Senate less
than a dozen Senators voted against II.
OF that number we find the junior Sem
ator from Mississippi speaking and vot-
Ing against II.
This is the record Of the man who Mis-
sssipplans trusted to stand by his party,
his President and his government And
as bad as that is, 1t was to be hoped that
after the declaration of war and the
country was involved in the most titanic
struggle of all time. in which every re-
source must be organized to the highest
point OF efficiency, IN order to combat and
meet the highly efficient power OF Ger
man arms and German industry-that he
would stand by the government and give
the commander in chief of the army and
navy his support and cooperation. In
speech In the Senate he stated that he
would do that. and yet, my countrymen
when legislation was necessary for raising
an army to fight our battles and to win
the war. the junior Senator from Missis-
sippi persistently refused to vote for the
passage of bill! for the raising Of an
army. 1t must he said to his credit, how
ever, that while the junior Senator re-
corded his vote against other war meas
ures to which he was 50 much opposed
when the selective draft bill was passed
which bill he now holds up for lerision
and contemplate did not have the cour-
age to record vote against 1t. but mere
ly recorded himself as present and not
voting
When it had been demonstrated that
arplanes was one Of the most necessary
and useful means Of waging the war and
that a large number of them wouu prob
ably do more than anything else to bring
success to the allies cause the President
asked Congress to vote an appropriation
that would permit the construction Of
practically 20 900 airplanes-this number
was agreed upon by the military experts
This bill passed the House of Representa-
tives unanimously. but when 1t got to the
Senate the junior Senator from Missssip-
p made a speech on the floor of the
Senate and opposed the bill.
Patriotism Is Needed.
After the laws for raising an army
had been passed and the boys We're be-
ing mobilized in various sections of the
country preparatory TO taking ships for
France the President requested Congress
10 pass a law that would prevent, among
other things, the newspapers from pub
fishing news regarding the movement Of
the troops. The President did not think
il was right, when we have 5000 boys on
"a transport ready TO sail for France and
land at some unknown port. that the
fact should be published in the papara.
that Germany, through her spy system.
might obtain this information and the
German general staff in turn send it
TO submarine commanders In order that
they might lie In wait and ruthlcssly
murder those American boys. And vet
when this bin reached the Senate, Where
you and | would naturally expect unani-
nous approval Of its principles, the junior
number who raised his voice In opposl-
ton to it and assisted in defeating this
important part of the legislation.
My countrymen, every means should
be granted that will assist in bringing
success to our arms and the allied cause.
1t Is imperative that We should provide
for the armies in the fields and the
sailors on the seas, and, It is lust as
necessary that we should protect those
boys from back fire at home. My heart