The Washington herald., 1917-04-05
SENATE Votes FOR WAR
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

the war resolution. Meantime President
Wilson and his advisers had completed
their war plans and were ready to act
the moment that the existence Of q state
Of war has become a legislative certainty.
Senators Hitchcock and Swanson. rank
ing Democrats OF the Foreign Relations
Committee, and Senator Lodge, the rank
ing Republican of the committee, made
vigorous patriotic speeches favoring the
resolution. and urging nonpartisan sup
port for the measure. Senator Hitch
cock. in presenting the war resolution
to the Senate. declared that he had hoped
against war and had advised against
war up to the last possible moment.
This resolution" he said, "is undoubt-
edly q declaration Of war. Some seem
to enjoy the prospect OF war. To me
1t is depress sing and dreadful. The enor-
nous cost the people must pay, the great
ly increased cost of living, the awful
heritage of wrath staggers my mind The
awful sacrifice OF life sickens my heart.
We have nothing material to gain. We
want no territory. We are going to war
to vindicate our honor and our independ-
ence as great nation. The quarrel with
Germany was not of our choosing: II
was forced upon US"
Senator Swanson. reciting the long list
OF German aggressions. referred with en-
phatic language to the activities OF Ger
man subjects in the United States. and
in other friendly countries against the
United States
Not Subject of Bargaining.
Now is the time for US to teach
this mischief-making government that
our territorial integrity cannot be
made the subject of war bargaining;
that though we are a peace-loving
people. we will never become gradu-
ates OF the school OF cowardly submis-
sion OF this character. These wrongs
and outrages are sufficient to call for
the strong resentment OF any brave
and high-spirited people. But, sir, the
advocates of peace now would place
upon this nation the shame Of a still
greater submission. They would en-
dure still greater atfronts and surren-
der still more, important rights"
Senator todSe was greeted with loud
applause as he declared that the great
object of the war would be establish
ment of the worlds peace. broad
based on freedom and democracy,
world. not controlled by a Prussian
military autocracy. by Hohenzollerns
and Hapsburgs. but by the will of the
free people Of the earth"
Throughout the discussion tho war
advocates again and again reiterated
President Wilson's thought that the
government and not against the Ger
man people.
Occupied Center Aisle.
Senator La Toilette. in his characterts
tic dramatic style. occupied the center
aisle, directly before the Vice Presidents
desk, and with emphatic gestures. and
alternate whispering and Shouting. stag
ed his attack on the war plan.
I'VE are asked to ally OURSELVES With
the nation which conducts its war by
efforts to starve the women. children,
and old men OF Germany" he shouted,
I'VE are asked to send our men forth to
fight the nation which furnished hun
dreds of thousands OF men, officers and
privates. of German nativity or German
parentage, to fight for the preservation
of our union in 1861"
Senator La Toilette reviewed in detail
the friendly relations between the United
States and Germany. and the various diff
culties which have characterized British
american relations throughout history.
He likewise reviewed the diplomatic his
tory OF Breat Britain. pointing out what
he called "reprehensible cases Of bad
faith" and bitterly denouncing ENG
lands perfidy."
Urges Referendum,
He demanded that the question Of war
be submitted to referendum Of the peo-
pie Of the country He declared that
eight or nine out Of every ten persons in
the country were opposed to war. He de-
scrtbed the results Of war referendums
in Monroe. and Sheboygan. Wis. In the
former, he said. 954 voted against war.
and IS for war. In Sheboygan the vote
was 2.061 against war, and no votes were
cast for entering the conflict
The espionage and conscription bills
and other measures being ground out by
the war machine are evidence that the
administration knows it does not have
the popular support" he declared.