Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-04-07
SLOAN AND REAYlS
SPEAK AGAINST WAR
Two Nebraska Congressman
Criticize Course of Presi-
dent During Crisis.
DELEGATION is DIVIDED

(ETOln stan Correspondence
Washington, April 6.-(Special
Telegram. 1.-The Nebraska delegation
was evenly divided on the final vote
ON the war resolution early this morn
ing. Lobeck, Stephens and Shallen-
berger voted for it and Reavis, Sloan
and Kinkad against it,
Representative Sloan was accorded
the floor first about $50 yesterday aft
ernoon to present the negative side
to the resolution and he gave the
house fifteen minutes Of real thrills.
He criticised the president severely,
but in a dignihed way, for his speech
of April 2. He said that he was not
one of those who had any illusion
about having been kept out OF the
war" That in every speech he made
during the last campaign he had met
the argument about keeping us out
of war" with evidence that the
president desired to involve the
country into war and forecast that
he would drive the country to the
extreme now about to happen.
One-Sided Wager.
Continuing before crowded house
and crowded gallery, with corridors
filled with people waiting for look
in on a historical scene, Representa-
tive Sloan continued: This measure
is an offer to wager every dollar OF
wealth and every American lite
against nothing that the allies will
win. II the allies win we have that
which should never have been placed
in jeopardy. If the allies are over
come we may stand to lose.
1--WE have no place in the European
war outside the enforcement OF our
rights upon the seas, and for that the
American people will gladly furnish
men and money.
~ could not vote for this initial
measure, which will be used as the
basis for extraordinary demands Of
human life and blood and meet with
a clear eye the mothers of this land.
At this time, after all our arguments
are fairly in, permit me to say. that
should congress do this deed Of shame
shall then do as best | may the
duty OF the hour to make our national
will supreme over all that may OPP
pose US in battle and save the repub-
lie for a people to whom reason may
yet be restored.
"But until the will of congress is
crystalizef let me say as the safest,
best and truest American doctrine,
the defense of American rights on
land and seas let millions be called
and billions voted; for an allied Eu-
ropean war of aggression, no men,
no money"
Mr.. Reavis Speaks.
Later on Congressman Reavis, who
has pronounced views on the ques-
ton Of whether we should declare
war with Germany, recited number
of interesting incidents in connection
with the presidents former visits to
the capitol outside the epochal visit
of Monday last
He quoted from the presidents
speech wherein the chief executive
had asserted that the policy of armed
neutrality had been defeated by con.
gress.
He showed the incorrectness of this
statement ..r
War with me is last resort" said
Mr.. Reavis. "If, however, the reso-
luton is passed, then l will give my
best efforts to working out the situ-
alton successfully.
while willing to defend American
rights on the seas, my first desire is
to withhold this resolution until j,
is demonstrated that the armed neu.
trality policy recommended by the
president is insufficient and failure.