New Britain herald., 1917-03-01
CONGRESS- RALLIES
 TO WILSON'S SIDE Hhbuster Breaking Up Under
 Crisis of New Complications LANSING ISSUES STATEMENT Secretary of State Ofers Opinion Germany's Offer Never Reached Japan and Believes Mexico Would Not Attack United States.
LANSING ISSUES STATEMENT

Washington. March Full official confirmation of Gernlanys intrigue to ally Mexico and Japan with her to make war on the United States, as revealed last night by The Associated Press, was given today at the White House, the state department and in the senate.
 On the floor of the senate 1t was announced that democratic senators had been authorized to state that tho revelations, including the text of thc- from the German foreign4 minister, zimmermann. to German Minister Won Eckhardt at Mexico City were correct.
 On motion of Senator Lodge the sen- ate at once took up a proposal to ask the president to communicate the facts to congress officially.
 After considerable discussion Sem ator Hardwick Insisted upon an ob- jection to immediate consideration of the Lodge resolution, in order that there might be time for deliberation by the foreign relations committee.
 Lansing's Statement.
 Secretary Lansing authorized this statement:
 We do not believe that Japan has had any knowledge of this or that she would consider any proposition
 made by an enemy as to Mexico.
 We have confidence that Mexico would not be party to any such agreement in view of the friendly re- lations existing between this govern ment and the de facto government of Mexico"
 Secretary Lansing took care. it will be noted, to exonerate both Japan and Mexico and said this government had no Knowledge that the proposition had been conveyed through Mexico to Japan.
 In view of the fact that the plan was not to be presented until 'it is certain that there will be an outbreak of war with the United States" 1t was not certain. Secretary Lansing said. that the matter had been official
 ly presented to General Carranza at all.
 Trail Lost i'm Mexico. It is known definitely, officials said. that Zimmermann's instructions had | reached Count Won Bernstorff here in Washington, that he forwarded them l to Mexico City and that they reached l the German minister there. At this
 point the trail, of official certainty is lost to view.
 !, Secretary Lansing refused to give
 any indication of how it came into the possession of the United States l government, on the ground that it
 would endanger the lives of those con- l earned HC rofnSe6 6iaOncS fhn l source in any way.
 Ambassador Sato of Japan was in- 1 formed of the possession of the text 1 of Germany's proposal by this gov- 1 ernment yesterday afternoon when he
 called at the state department to see l Counsellor Polk. Officials here ex- l pect Japan will welcome the oppor- tunity to reiterate her allegiance to
 casion will be taken of cementing rela- l tions between the United States and
 Japan.
 l Evidences were on every hand in l the senate today that the republican l filibuster against defense legislation and the armed neutrality bill was
 rapidly breaking up. Several repub- Ecan senators, in the light of the in- i ternational revelations, assured demo- l cratic leaders that they would stand by the president.
 l The effect of the situation on con- 1 gress was almost instantaneous. Re l publican senators who had been fili- clustering against the proposal to en- power the president to arm ships and 1 use other instrumentalities to deal
 ((.ontinued on Second Pagel