New Britain herald., 1917-08-30
Stone RAPS PRESS
DEFENDING COURSE
Says Lord Northchfe Is Here to
Influence Editors

Washington, Aug. 30.-The presi-
dents note to the Vatican won praise
yesterday from Senator William Joel
Stone, chairman of the foreign rela-
tons committee Of the senate, many
of whose constituents, as well as lead
ers of his party. have demanded that
he resign because of his continued OPP
position to the war program of the
government.
Senator Stone, who was advised Of
the resentment of the people of his
state. took occasion to reaf11rm his
allegiance to the government today
ana substantially to repeat his oath
of office. During the debate on the
war Revenue Bill he arose to a ques-
ton Of personal privilege to denounce
newspaper attacks upon him. By i'm
plication he charged that Lord North
cliffe. British war commissioner in
this country, had in some way inf1u-
enced the attacks.
The speech of the Missouri senator,
which was delivered with perceptible
emotion provoked greater attention
than the discussion of the war rev.
enue measure itself. He asserted that
he had been unjustly assaulted because
he had presentd communication
addressed to him by a pacifist organ
ization headed by Amos Pinchot and
Max Eastman urging him to intro
duce resolution rejecting the con-
gressional view as to the manner in
which peace might be obtained.
Have we come TO the point" de-
manded the senator, that it is to be
regarded as lese majestic or some
form of public ofrense for a senator to
lay before this body respectful COM
munication addressed to him? When
I presented this petition I said moth
ing by way of approval or disapproval
of the text, and yet there are vile pub
locations which have bounded me.
What sinister influence operates to
prod a numerous class of metropoli-
tan editors into this mad intolerance
Attack on Northcliffe.
Lord Northcliffe, who owns the
London Times and other important
English publications, Is honoring Che
United States by a temporary resi-
dence. He comes from England un-
exactly what it Is I do not know-but
he has q commission of some kind,
and it is said that the principal OBJ
ject of his mission is to influence the
American press for the promotion of
the interests he represents.
eff. indeed, that be the object OF
his mission l feel obliged to say that
up to this time his labors have been
crowned with marked success. Can
it be that q senator or representative
in congress or a public man In any
position is in daily danger of being
pilloried before the American people
whenever he is audacious enough to do
or saw anything that does not pass
with approval the exacting test of My
Lord Northcliffe's censorship?
"I will not comment to any extent
upon this most recent storm of sour
rility which has been beaten upon me
"a storm started out of the depths of
my great offense in presum1ng to pre-
sent a peace petition to the senate. If
I am, correctly informed, as I believe
I am, some Of the editors who have in
dulged in these scandalous denuncia-
lions are unnaturalizeed residents Of
the United States who owe allegiance
to King George V.
Abuse Our Hospitality"
"such men, instead of serving their
country on the battle-ground seek the
hospitality of the United States and
abuse it by villifying American public
Officials who do not happen in all re-
spects to accord with their views and
purposes. Perhaps my Lord North
cliffe and others Of his caste believe
that these foreign editors so working
here do better service in this way
that is to say, in striving to control
American public opinion-than they
could do in shooting their armed enc
miles along the trench lines. They are
employed to fire fusilades Of differ
ent kind
The Missouri senator declared that
he had no German blood in his veins.
On the contrary, he asserted that he
had "better English blood in his veins
than the present English King He
reviewed his record ON the war meas
ures and asserted that by voting for
them he had displayed patriotism Of
the highest character. He said that
he Endorsed every word the President
had said in his note to the Pope.
II am willing to go to war to pre-
serve the civilization of the English
speaking people Of the world If for a
moment L believed their civilization
was imperilled," he continued IT did
oppose having the United States en-
ter war as a. belligerent, and every day
I live confirms me in the wisdom OF
that action"
But now that this countrwy is at
war, he added, herwould do everything
| within his power to aid it in carrying
| the struggle to a successful termina-
| ton. OF Missouris foreign population
Senator Stone declared his belief that
| IS per cent. of the German voters had
been loyal to the Republic AND he