The sun., 1917-02-17
SEEK
TOCURB WILSON
Organized and Aggressive
"Peace Party" Taking
Form in House.
TO KEEP PUBLIC POSTED
''Can't Make Europe Keep
Hands Off L. S. Affairs if We
Enter War;" Says Mann.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 16.-Orsanized and
aggressive and headed by the ablest par
liamentarian in the House, peace
party is gradually takinS form, the di-
mensions of which are causing the Ad-
ministration no little concern.
In the group, or distinctly sympathetic
with its purposes. are James r. Mann,
minority leader of the House Majority
Leader Claude Kitchin, Representative J.
Hampton Moore of Pennsylvania. Repre-
sentative Henry A. Cooper ranking Re-
publican on the Foreign Affairs Commit
tee. the previously announced Bryan
pacifist group. and a number OF Con-
gressmen rom ,he middle Western and
Southern states.
Except where large German con-
stituencies are involved. the alignment
SO far disclosed has been neither political
nor sectional. Southern members are
divided. as are those from the central
and Western States. New England and
middle Atlantic States. so far as their
representatives in the House are con-
cerned. are almost universally out OF
sympathy with the peace party
/, To Keep Public Posted.
So far the work of organization has not
extended beyond decision to keep al.
ways before the public, through some
public act or speech each day. the hor-
rors of war. The only legislative sug-
gestion so far advanced came to-day
from Representative Helgesen OF North
Dakota in the form of n resolution en-
bodying the Bryan n-Bernstorff war refer
endum idea. Around this and the ar
bitration "reafiirmation" slipped into the
navy bill by Mr.. Mann the party will
make its light for the present.
If a state of war develops with Ger
many the purpose of the party Is to re-
strict the President and the country by
small appropriations with view to pre-
venting actual entry of this country as
an ally of the Entente Powers.
To-day II was Mr. Manns turn to
make the peace pleas: tomorrow or
shortly thereafter MT. Moore will con-
tinue his attacks on the 'pro-ally" press
and. probably introduce q resolution for
investigation Of the charges made by
Representative Galloway OF Texas that
the j. +. Morgan and British interests
have subsidized a number of important
newspapers in the interest of Great Brit
ain. An echo OF this was heard in the
Senate to-day.
Whether Mr. Mann and Mr.. Moore will
keep the ball rolling without further as
Sistance for the time being has not been
decided. Later Mr.. Kitchn will be looked
TO to do his share. particularly If the
Democrats organize the House
Mann Embarrassed.
Representative Dies OF Texas placed
Mr.. Mann in an embarrassing position
to-day when he weakened the latter's at
tempt to pose as purely lEo-American.
81 would like to ask the gentleman
from Illinois," Dies said while Mann was
/ speaking. "if some nation in Europe in
: volved in this war should bid our peace,
full commerce get of the sea and declare
that We should no longer conduct ouI
commerce in obedience to the laws of ma.
/ tions does he think We should refuse: In
obedience TO. that request or warning. tc
declare our rights to commerce."
What does the gentleman think -
asked Mann.
| 'If I make a speech and undertake
to tell the American people what to dc
! will tell them" returned Dies.
The gentleman is asking me a ques
tion in order to embarrass me-" sait
Mann. ut is question he canno
answer now. and when he answers 1t
will answer IT, | do not know what posi-
: tion ! will take or what position Con
gress will take when specific cases ma.
arise, hut ! will say this for myself
am determined TO do everything within
my power TO keep our country out OF tn,
present European war"
Mann Defines Position.
/ Earlier in his brief speech Repre-
/ sentative Mann said:
Now we may be drawn into tn,
struggle. If we are. whatever opinion
may have had with reference to tn
propriety OF being drawn into th
struggle will be merged in a univcrsa
opinion TO stand for the country in wha
il determines to do.
/ II want to call attention to this. Sup
pose we become engaged i'm the European
war and finally there are overtures 70
peace from one side or the other.
we are a party to the war we will hav
( to sit in at the fnal councils.
/ "And when We engage IN endeavorinl
to determine the boundary lines of tn
various nations of Europe. the term
upon which peace shall be made, tn
guarantees which will be cxacted in ref
erence to the small Powers of Europe
We will have placed ourselves in a posi-
ton where 1t becomes our duty to en-
deavor to regulate what Bulgaria
Greece, Serbia, Holland, Belgium o
Russia shall do. And when we under
take to enter a policy which requires u
to interfere in European affairs we ca
no longer ask or insist upon the tradi
tional policy of the United States tina
! European countries shall keep thei
hands off of American affairs"
Mr.. Mann's address was Sencrousl
aunla uded. though nothing nnnroac ch