The Columbus commercial., 1917-08-19
MR.. VARDAMAN ON WAR.

The Times Picayune publishes in
another place this morning for what
it may be worth statement from
Senator Vardaman, of Mississippi, on
the war and it's causes. 1t seems to
be intended as a defense in some sort
of the senator's attitude and course
in Congress. AS he accuses the
metropolitan press" with having
been Subsidized" by the prepared
ness propaganda" and charges the
"daily papers" in general with mis-
representing those of US who were
opposed to entering the European
slaughter pen without adequate
cause" the opportunity to publish
his own personal representations,
for comparison with the alleged "mis-
representations il cheerfully accept
ed in order that the public and par
ticularly his own constituents-may
compare what has been said of him by
what he says of and for himself, and
Judge for themselves against whom
the charge of Misrepresentation
should be lodged.
The outstanding feature of Mr.,
| Vardaman's statement is his express
ed belief that "the cause of the war
was the interference on the part OF
Germany with commerce between
New York and London" that it was
purely matter of pecuniary profit.
In planting himself upon the belief
he brushes aside the acts of war com
mitted by Germany against the
United States, the wanton murder OF
American men, women and children
the hostile intrigues conducted by
German officials in the United States
including the Prussian plot to EN-
boil this country and Mexico and
the Prussian promise to aid in the
= Mexican conquest of American states
{ The fact of the case, established and
, undisputed, are disregarded by him
along with the solemn assurances of
President and the resolutions of the
Congress to which he is accredited.
Eighty-two members of the Senate
v forty three Democrats and thirty,
, nine Republicans voted formal rec
ognition of the war which the imper.
ial German government already was
5 waging against the republic. Six
Y members, including the junior senator
: from Mississippi, opposed that recog-
nition In defense of his opposition
Mr.. Vardaman contends in effect that
the President, his cabinet, eighty-two
American senator's and three hundred
J. and seventy-three American repre-.
| sentatives, advocated formal recogni.
| ton of war already existent, purely
as matter of pecuniary profit be
cause of interference on the part Of
| Germany with commerce between
| London and New York" In effect
he charges the President and over
| whelming majorities in both houses
together with millions of Americans
who support the war and believe that
the republic has its quarrel just, with
being simpletons or knaves. The peo
pie are included in his sweeping in
| dictment by his statement that "tht
people understand this question very
much better than some congressmer
and office holders do"
Ill We commend this pronouncemen
to the careful reading of Mississip
plans. Many of them, including not
| few who have supported Mr.. Varda
man, subscribe without reservation t'
| this statement by President Wilson
of the direct causes which forced Us
into the war:
ii "fhe extraordinary insults and ag-
| gressons of the imperial German gov.
ernment left us no self-respectine
! choice but to take up arms in defense
l Of our rights as free people and Of
our honor as sovereign government
! The military master of Germany de-
! MED us the right to be neutral, They
: filled our unsuspecting communities