The Elbert County tribune., 1917-04-13
UNITED STATES
FORMALLY At WAR
WITH GERMANY
Congress Declares That a State
of War Exists.
SENATE is FIRST TO ACT
Six Members Of Upper House Vote
Against Resolution After Heated
Debatc-Representa Adopt
Measure by overwheIm-
ing Majority.

Washington, April Corresponding
quickly to President Wilson's stirring
message and to the evident demand
of the people of the United States
congress has formally declared that n
state OF war exists between this coun-
try and Germany. due to the hostile
acts of the imperial government.
The senate wns the first to act on
the war resolution and adopted ii by
vote of 80 to @. The six senators who
voted against the resolution for war
were:
AISLE J. eRoNNA, Republican,
North Dakota.
HARRY LANE, Democrat, Oregon.
r. M. LA TOILETTE, Republican,
Wisconsin.
c. W. NORRIS, Republican, Ne
braska.
WILLIAM J. STONE, Democrat,
Missouri.
j. X. vARDAMAN, Democrat, Mis-
sirsippi.
There were eight senators absent or
paired. They were: Bankhead, Goff,
Gore. Hollis. Newlands. Smith of
Maryland. Thomas, and Tilman. OF
those absent it was announced that nll
except Senator Gore of Oklahoma
would have voted for the resolution IL
present.
All six of the senators who voted
against the resolution were members
Of the group of twelve which de-
fented the armed neutrality bill at the
last session. There was no attempt
to filibuster this time. however.
Thirteen Hour Debate.
Thirteen hours of heated debate
preceded the vote. Party lines dis
appeared in this discussion and Repub-
licans Joined with Democrats In sound
Ing the call to the nation to support
the president unitedly.
The little group opposed to the reso-
lution drew fire from every side. SEN
ator La Toilette. defending Germany
and heaping blame upon England. was
l Informed by Senator Williams that DIR.
von Bethmann-H Hollweg, the German
chancellor, would have made the same
speech in the reichstag had he been
lmbued with sufficient effrontery.
Senator Norris, charging that the
United States is going to war at the
behest of the munition barons of Wall
street. drew from Senator Reed the re-
tort that such an accusation is "al-
most treason"
The assertion that the nation was GO
Ing to war on the demand of gold. he
said, was IAN Indictment of the presi-
dent of the United States, an indict-
ment of congress, of the American peo-
pie. and of the truth"
''rhe president is not calling Amer
lea to arms for the sake of few
paltry dollars" Senator Reed contin-
ued, ''but for the life. honor, and in
tegrity of this country"
introduced by Hitchcock.
In Introducing the resolution Into
the senate. Senator Hitchcock made a
brief statement in which he said that
the present time was one ''for action,
not discussion
"The time for discussion has
passed" he said. "The president has
stated clearly, effectively, more CON
clusively the reasons which make this
grave step necessary. The resolution
provides for war against the imperial
German government. 1t places re-
sponsibility for the war squarely upon
the shoulders of the German govern
ment. charged with repeated acts of
wrr against the United States.
I'VE want no more territory We
will demand no indemnity. We have
no grudge to settle. nor racial anti
pathy. We will spend our treasure
and our blood and sacrifice our lives
without the thought of gain.
"Such quarrel as we have with Ger
many is not of our choosing. 1t was
forced upon Us and we did much to