Judsonia weekly advance., 1917-04-11
Congress Declares a State of War Exists With the Impe-
 rial Government.
HEATED DEBATE IN SENATE
La Toilette, Gronna, Stone, Norris. Vardaman and Lane Vote Against Resoiution-Great Majority
 for the Measure in the
 Lower House.

Washington, April 6.-The United States is now formally at war with Germany. In response to the presi- dents message congress has adopted the resolution declaring that state of war exists between the two coun- tries.
 The senate was the first to act on the war resolution and adopted it by vote of 82 to 6. The six senators who voted against the resolution for war were:
 AISLE J. GRoNNA, Republican, North Dakota.
 R. M. LA TOILETTE, Republican, Wisconsin.
 G. w. NORRIS, Republican, Ne braska.
 WILLIAM J. STONE, Democrat, Missouri.
 J. K. vARDAMAN, Democrat, Mis- sissippi.
 There were eight senators absent or paired. They were: Bankhead, Golf, Gore, Hollis, Newlands, Smith of Maryland Thomas, and Tillman. Of those absent 1t was announced that all except Senator Gore of Oklahoma would have voted for the resolution if present.
 All six of the senators who voted against the resolution were members of the group of twelve which de- feated the armed neutrality bill at the last session. There was no attempt to filibuster this time. however.
 Thirteen Hour Debate.
 Thirteen hours of heated debate preceded the vote. Party lines dis appeared in this discussion and Repub- licans joined with Democrats in sound ing the call to the nation to support the president unitedly.
 The little group opposed to the reso- lution drew fire from every side. Sen ator La Toilette, defending Germany and heaping blame upon England, was informed by Senator Williams that Dr. yon Bethmann-Hollweg the German chancellor, would have made the same speech in the reichstag had he been fmbued with sufficient effrontery.
 Senator Norris, charging that the United States is going to war at the behest of the intuition barons of Wall street, drew from Senator Reed the re- tort that such an accusation is "al- most treason"
 The assertion that the nation was go- Ing to war on the demand of gold, he said, was Ian indictment of the presi- dent of the United States, an indict- ment of congress, of the American peo- pie, and of the truth.'
 The president is not calling Amer ica to arms for the sake of a few paltry dollars" Senator Reed contin- ued, "but for the life, honor, and in- tegrity of this country"
 Introduced by Hitchcock.
 In introducing the resolution into the senate, Senator Hitchcock made a brief statement in which he said that the present time was one flor action. not discussion"
 ''The time for discussion has passed" he said. "The president has stated clearly, effectively, more con- clusively the reasons which make this grave step necessary. The resolution provides for war against the imperial German government. It places re- sponsibility for the war squarely upon the shoulders of the German govern ment, charged with repeated acts of war against the United States.
 we want no more territory. We will demand no indemnity. We have no grudge to settle, nor racial anti pathy. We will spend our treasure and our blood and sacrifice our lives without the thought of gain. We are going to war to vindicate our honor and independence as a great nation and in defense of humanity.
 "Such quarrel as we have with Ger many Is not of our choosing. It was forced upon us and we did much to avoid 1t. For nearly three years the president, congress, and the American people have hoped to avoid it. But one desperate act by the imperial Ger man government has followed an- other."
 German Pledges Broken.
 Senator Hitchcock was followed by Senator Swanson of Virginia, who said the German government "has repeat