The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-04-04

By unanimous consent the house
agreed today to begin discussion of
the war resolution tomorrow morning
at 10 o'clock No special rule limit
ing debate will be brought in, and the
house will remain in continuous ses-
sion until the resolution is passed.
The house foreign affair committee
today accepted the senate's war reso-
luton in place of it's own and favora-
bly, reported the resolution for pass
age.
Representative shackelford of Mis-
souri,, Democrat. and Representative
Cooper of Wisconsin, Republican were
the only members of the committee
to vote against the war resolution.
Senator LaFolette, who yesterday
forced the resolution over until today,
was not in the chamber when Senator
Hitchcock got unanimous consent to
take up the, war resolution. Almost
every other Senator and many House
members were present when the de-
bate began. S
In a brief opening statement Sena-
tor Hitchcock, in charge of the resolu-
ton, said the present was a time for
action, not discussion. 1.-The time for
discussion has passed. he said. 'The
President has already stated more
clearly, effectively, more conclusively
the reasons which make this grave
step necessary. The resolution pro-
vides for war against the Imperial
German government. It is framed on
the lines of other war resolutions 1t
places responsibility for the war
sQuarelE on the shoulders of the Ger
man government, charged with re-
peated acts of war against the United
States. 1t is also unquestionably a
declaration Of war.
IT am impressed with the soIemnity
of the occasion. Some may lbe filled
with joy at the prospect Of war. To
me it is depressing and dreadful. The
enormous cost which the people must
pay, the great Increase in the cost Of
living, the enormous burden of taxes
the people must bear, and the still
greater heritage of death stagger my
mind. I am sure many other Senators
feel as I do.
1--WE want no more territory" said
Senator Hitchcock. 1--WE will demand
no indemnity. We have no historic
grudge to settle, nor racial antipathy.
In this respect we differ from the
other countries already involved in
this awful struggle. There is pan
Slavism against pan-Germanism. Italy
wants back the Trentino; France her
lost provinces; Great Britain has Ger
man commerce and German colonies
almost in her grasp; Russia wants
Constantinople; and Germany, besides
her place in the sun, wants to domi-
nate Europe.
1--WE, of all nations, will spend our
treasure and our blood and sacrifice
our lives without the thought of pos
sibility or gain. We are going to war
to vindicate our honor and independ-
ence as a great nation and in defense
Of humanity. Such quarrel as we have
with Germany is not Of our choosing
1t was forced upon us, and we did
much to avoid it. For nearly three
years the president, congress and the
American people have hoped to avoid
it. But one desperate act by the i'm
perial German government has fol-
lowed another. I do not mean to say
Germany has desired war with us; ]
do not believe that. But the imperial
German government has been des-
perate and has taken desperate
chances"
American neutrality, the senator
said, had first been shocked by the
invasion of Belgium; then the sinking
of the Lusitania almost caused war
He said, however, he did not con-
slider that Germany had violated any
pledges she gave after the sinking of
the Lusitania, because she had eX-
pressly reserved the right to revoke
that pledge.
During Senator Hitchcock's speech
Senator LaFollette was absent most
Of the time, comforting with Senator
Gronna and others, who are expected
to oppose the resolution.
Senator Hitchcock said he had
hoped armed neutrality would avert
war He had been bitterly opposed
to war, he said. Even when he knew
the people and a majority of congress
were for it he besought the presi-1
dent to remain IL niger, if possible, un-
der the policy of armed neutrality as
an expedient for peace.
But" he continued, "the president
had information in his possession
which made it impossible.
The country is ready and congress
is ready. While the vote has not