The Washington herald., 1917-04-06
House Debates War Decree
Into Early Morning Hours

against the resolution. He declared he
could not stultify his conscience by vot-
ing 10 send the young manhood Of Amer
lea into the trenches Of Europe.
Representative Helm, also Of Alabama,
interrupted the speaker who was defend
ing Majority Leader Kitchin. Earlier
Hefiin demanded Kitchin's resignation.
Shaking his finger at Hefiin, Burnett
challenged him in the event of the pas
sage OF the resolution to resign and 60
home to enlist with the Alabama troops.
MY: sister has boy just back from
the border" retorted Hefiin. MY
nephew will go into this war"
Oh, it's easy enough to fight through
else" interrupted Burnett,
started toward each other.
Mace Is Interposed.
For moment the House sat aghast.
waiting for an actual physical clash be-
tween the two Alabamans. But the SER
geant-at-arms interposed the mace. He
led Representative Burnett to his seat,
with the House in the widest excite
ment.
Representative Chandler, Republican of
New York. made q brilliant speech in
support Of the resolution.
Representative Eagle, Of Texas; Rep
resentative Temple. Of Pennsylvania, and
Representative johnson. OF Kentucky.
made speeches supporting the resolution.
Representatives Brown, Of Wisconsin; !;
Lundeen, Of Minnesota. and la Toilette,
OF Wisconsin, spoke against 1t.
Representative Mann, Of Illinois, the
Republican leader. spoke for ten minutes
In favor Of the resolution, and for the
earnest prosecution Of the war.
TT must not be said Of US that our
only desire II for gold," said the Repub-
lican leader. TT must not be said that
our only desire is for wealth. We must
nsht to maintain the rights of Ameri-
cans abroad as well as at home. We are
going to war because there is a differ
ence between an incidental injury and a
direct affront. The neutral must suffer
some incidental injury. America has suf-
fered incidental injury in the course OF
this war both from Great Britain and
from Germany-and in patience. But fol-
lowing a deliberate affront-as Germany
has given us a deliberate affront-there is
nothing left to do but to follow the rec
concentrations Of the Chief Magistrate.
We are going to war for American
rights We are going to war for Ameri-
can dignity. We are going to war for
American civilization"
Representative Gardner Of Massachu-
sets. took the floor after a five-minute
rule limitation had been put on all
speeches by the administration leaders.
who could not see the end Of tho flood of
oratory.
kitchin Oppose. Resolution
The paciflst fight against the resolu-
tion In the House had begun mildly but
II grew steadily as the long debate
dragged through the day and into the
evening When the resolution was taker
up the administration leaders predicted
an early vote. and but a dozen votes ir
opposition. The pacifsts gained during
the cay, however, and during the evening
II became APPARENT that the vote woul6
probably show between twenty-five and
nifty against the measure Majority
Leader Kitchin lent strength to the
pa"ifsts in dramatic speech. The DEM
ocrattc leader had been undecided as
to his course. and his colleagues .,
both war and peace sides pleaded with
him to make up his mind He held
scores or conferences IN his ONCE.
listening to both sides.
''Kitchin Is sweating blood" said one
Of his friends after talking with him.
FINALLY the majority leader with
bowed head and anxious face made HI,
way to the floor. He was at once
recognized by Representative Fitzgerald,
OF New York. in the chair
"Prayerfully impressed with the
gravities Of this situation and appreciat-
ing the penalties that war will impose.
my conscience and Judgment have shown
the path of my duty. and 7 must tread
it II 7 have to tread 1t alone. have
prayed for guidance. have reached the
conclusion that must vote against the
resolution
sigh that was almost a sob swept
the big chamber as members on the floor
and the crowded galleries realized that
the leader of the administration par,-
on the floor was desertlng his part>
and his party's President A rattle
Of applause from the pacifists broke the
sombre silence
Foresees CritirIsm.
It shall not only be criticized for this
course" said the Democratic leader. ct
shall be denounced from one end of the
land to the other by a yelping pack Of
critics. 7 cannot leave my children land
and riches, cannot leave them fame, but
I can leave them the name OF an ancestor
who always tried TO do his duty. and
who on this day did his duty as God
gave him to see IT."
The spirit Of grim determination which
had marked the attitude Of the big war
majority in the House was changed to
one Of emotional patriotism when Rep
resentative Miller. Republican. OF Minne-
sofa. produced what he declared was the
text of a paragraph from the text of the
Intercepted Japan -Mexican-German alli-
ance note. sent by Foreign Minister Zim-
norman to the German minister at Mex
leo City. The paragraph, he said, had
been suppressed. It read:
"Agreeably to the Mexican govern
ment. submarine bases will be estab-
lished at Mexican ports, from which will
be supplied ammunition and supplies.
All reservists in the United States are
ordered into Mexico. Arrange to attack
all along border"
Secretary OF State Lansing denied
fatty that the Miller paragraph was
part OF the Zimmerman note and sent a