Evening star., 1917-03-02

FOucneQ Tor Dy the PRESIDENT ana SeCr0S
tary Lansing last night, in a reply to .
Senate resolution asking information
regarding the note.
The President transmitted to the
Senate a letter from Secretary Lansing
dealing with the matter, within two
hours after the adoption Of the Senate
resolution asking for information. Sec
retary Lansing's letter. addressed to the
President. follows:
ITO the President:
The resolution adopted by the
United States Senate March /, 1917, re-
questing that that body be furnished. II
est, whatever information you have
concerning the note published in the
press OF this date, purporting to have
been sent January IS. 1917. by the Ger
German minister to Mexico. have the
honor to state that the government il
in possession of evidence which estab-
fishes the fact that the note referred to
is authentic. and that 1t is in possession
Of the government of the United States,
and that the evidence was procured by
this government during the present
week; but that it is. in my opinion, in
compatible with the public interest to
send to the Senate at the present time
any further information in possession
of the government of the United States
relative to the note mentioned in the
resolution OF the senate.
Respectfully submitted.
(Signed) ROBERT LANSING.s
Is Referred to Committee.
The Senate without comment ordered
the report and letter printed and re.
ferred to the foreign relations commit.
tee.
Adoption Of the resolution asking for
N~% % he
Of solemn debate. which reached a cli-
max with republican senators joining
democrats in condemning the attitude
OF Senator Stone. chairman Of the for
eign relations committee, who declared
the story OF the plot was given out by
the government to affect public opin-
ion. and insisted upon asking the
President whether the information was
received from the representative Of any
bellfgerent nation.
Senator Fall. republican, said he did
not wonder that the President decided
to reach public opinion through the
press. in view of the attitude Of mem
bers Of the Senate who ought to be his
advisers.
The subject came up soon after the
Senate mbled, and engrossed atten-
ton nearly all day In spite of the mass
OF legislation awaiting action. Sem
ators on both sides of the chamber ex-
pressed amazement at the story, and
declared IL it were true the Senate
should be informed.
The discussion was precipitated by
the introduction of a resolution calling
upon the President to inform the Sen.
ate as to the authenticity of the Zim.
mermann note.
Senator Stone Offers Amendment.
Senator Stone. chairman of the for
Al lot
adoption of an amendment requesting
the President to inform the Senate
whether the note had been obtained by
this government from one of the bell
igerant powers or an official thereof.
He said he did not know. but he had
been told by a newspaper man that it
came from the British government. He
was sustained in his position by Sena-
tor O'Gorman Of New York and some
other democrats.
A substitute for both the Lodge reso-
luton and the Stone amendment was
finally offered by Senator Hoke Smith
Of Georgia and was adopted. Unlike the
Lodge resolution it did not ask the
President to express his opinion to
the authenticity of the note, nor did II
ask, as the Stone amendment. whether
the note was obtained from a belligerent
1t merely asked for such
information as the President felt that
he could give. 1t was adopted without
a dissenting voice, after Senator Stone
had said it would be acceptable to him.
The discussion closed with a speech
by Senator Stone defending his posi-
ton. He said the resolution before the
Senate was not introduced by the Presi.
dent, and that the President could take
care of himself. adding: II fiatter my
self that he holds me in higher esteem
than some of the truckers who como
and bow and say. What do you wishTs
Rush Of Americanism in House.
Early Indications of the sudden rush
Of Americanism to the House Of Repre-.
sentatives yesterday were accurate.
After an extended period Of speechs
making, the House yesterday passed
the Flood bill to empower the Presi.
dent to arm merchant ships. but NOS
the authority he requested to
use "other instrumentalities" in de.
American rights against the
submarine menace. The vote was
in favor of the bill. the
figures. 403 to -. showing the extent