Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1917-04-13
DECLARE WAR
WITH TEUTONS
AMERICANS WILL FIGHT FOR
FREEDOM OF THE SEAS AND
WORLD PEACE.
Resolution Declaring State Of War
Exists Between United States and
Germany Adopted by House by
Vote Of 373 TO SO.

Washington.-The United states has
declared war upon Germany and will
fight for the freedom of the seas and
permanent peace.
The resolution declaring that 3 state
Of war exists between the United
States and Germany, already passed
by the senate. passed the mousse short
ly after o'clock Friday morning.
April 6, by q vote of 373 to so.
Without roll calls the house reject
ed all amendments, including proposals
to prohibit the sending OF any troops
overseas without congressional au.
thority.
The resolution formally accepts the
state of belligerency forced by German
aggressions and authorizes ana directs
the president to employ the military
and naval forces and all the resources
Of the nation to bring war against Ger.
many to a successful termination.
Passage of the resolution Followed
seventeen hours of debate. There was
no attempt to filibuster, but the pa
cifist group, under the leadership OF
Democratic Leader Kitchen, prolonged
the discussion with 'impassfoned
speeches declaring conscience would
not permit them to support the presi
dents recommendation that a state OF
war be declared.
Miss Rankin of Montana, the only
woman member of congress, sat
through the first roll call with bowed
head, failing to answer to her name,
twice called by the clerk.
On the second roll call she rose and
said in a sobbing voice: 81 want to
stand by my country. but I cannot vote
for war" For a moment then she re-
NAMED standing, supporting herself
against a desk, and as cries of Vote,
vote" came from several parts OF the
house, she sank back into her seat
without voting audibly. She was re-
corded in the negative.
The fifty who voted against the res
plution were:
Almond, Bacon, Britten, Browne.
Burnett, Cary, Church, Connolly of
Kansas, Cooper Of Wisconsin, David
son, Davis, Decker, Dill, Dillon, Domi-
nick, Esch, Frear, Fuller of Illinois.
Hull Of Iowa, Igoe, Johnson OF South
Dakota, Heating, King, Kinkaid, Kitch-
in, Knutson, La Toilette, Little, Lon
don, Lundsen, McLemore, Mason, Mel
son, Randall Rankin, Reavis, Roberts,
Rodenburg, Shackleford, Sherwood.
Sl0an, Stafford. Van Dyke, Voigt,
Wheeler, Woods of Iowa.
Cheers greeter the announcement OF
the result. A few minutes later
Speaker Clark signed the resolution
and the house adjourned, to meet
again Monday and take up the admin
istrations recommendations for war
legislation.
During the day the debate revealed
an unexpected strength In the minor
ity opposing the resolution Confident
predictions of not more than a dozen
votes against II gave place by night
fall to reports that the opposition
might muster upwards of a hundred
on the final rollcall, and supporters OF
the resolution conceded that the num-
Der to vote in the negative probably
would be more than fifty.
This surprising accession to the mi
nority ranks was attributed to the eff
forts of Democratic Leader Kitchin,
who took the floor and In a dramatic
speech announced that he could not
with clear conscience vote for war.
Supporters of the presidents course
we're not concerned over the detection,
however. Sure of a great majority,
they permitted the rollcall to be de-
layed only SO that every one might be
heard.
Representative Decker Of Missouri
said he believed m national honor, but
did not think I'VE would sacrifice IL II
we did mot go to war;
Representative Hedin of Alabama,
Democrat, bitterly criticised Represen-
tative Kitchin, declaring II was hu.
milating to the Democrats and that IL
he himself had made such = speech
he woud have followed 1T up by re-
signing from congress. Some Kisses
came from the Democratic side and
Mr.. Helm said they were from those
who we're for the kaiser.
Representative Burnett of Alabama
in the course of a speech against the
resolution, challenged Representative
Helm to circulate q petition I'm the
house to secure support for his dec
laration that Majority Leader Kitchin
should resign. He also asked his col
league 70 prove himself consistent by
enlisting as private In the army.
May Add Member to Cabinet