Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-02
PRESIDENT WILL ADDRESS WAR
CONGRESS AT 8 O'CLOCK TONIGHT

tne We1 OF the House TO second Manne
nomination. He had previously been
brought forward by a faction Of the Repub-
licans as a candidate for the Speakership
II was dramatic moment when Lenroot
In seconding the nomination Of Mann, said:
II cannot let the statements OF the gen.
tleman from Minnesota and inferences they
make go unchallenged. He takes the posi-
tion that patriotism demands that the or
ganization of the House be turned over to
the Democrats.
Patriotism demands that the Democrats
| ought to submit to a Republican organiza-
| ton of the House"
Shouts of mol" from the Democratic
side interrupted him here.
When he resumed II was to promise that
there will be no partisanship in the House.
so far as the Republicans are concerned"
What we need in this hour is a united
country" he said. We need the wisdom
the advice and the assistance of every
American. This Is no time to criticize the
President, but 1t would be far better for the
country II the President was compelled to
consult Republicans as well as Democrats
In this crisis"
Representative Lee, of Georgia, Demo-
crat who has been seriously i'll, was
brought into the House amid the applause
Of his colleagues on the Democratic side
I He cast his vote for Champ Clark for
| Speaker.
Mr.. Lee was among those absent when
| the roll was called to determine a quorum.
| He showed plainly the effects of his illness
when assisted to the floor by two attend
ants. Up until the last moment II was not
| thought he could be present. His presence.
and the fact that four of the five nde-
pendents who voted In the early stages Of
| the rollcall cast their ballots for Speaker
| Clark, made the Missourian's election a
| certainty long before the rollcall was COM
| pleted.
While the war spirit grew as the national
| legislators assembled In the House cham.
| ber, the corridors were dotted with visi-
| tors bearing peace badges Two hours be-
| fore the session convened little groups of
| pacifists stood about the entrance ways and
| corridors. All of them carried or wore
white badges reading: Keep us out of
| war"
Comparatively few of the pacifists or the
| ants gained admission to the galleries
proper.
Despite the fact that a hot organization
| fight was in prospect members did not begin
| to show up around the House until nearly
| noon. At 80 less than a dozen members
| were about the chamber and the Speakers
| lobby.
| A WAR PRAYER
After Clerk Grimble called the House to
| order prayer was offered by the blind chap
| lain, the Rev. Harry N. Couden.
IF war has been or shall be forced upon
| u.s." intoned the chaplain in fervent tones,
|
may throb with patriotic zeal"
! He invoked divine aid that united
| nation may hold up the Presidents hands"
| in whatever measure he is called upon to
| take. After the reading Of the Presidents
proclamation convening the Sixty-Fifth
| Congress in extraordinary session. the roll
Of members-elect was called to ascertain
| IL a quorum was present.
The chaplains prayer in part follows:
God of the ages. our fathers God and
| our God whose holy influence has shaped
| and guided the destiny of our Republic
from its inception, we wait upon that in
f1uence to guide us in the present crisis
| which has been thrust upon us.
| diplomacy has failed; moral suasion
has failed every appeal to reason and JUS
| tice has been swept aside. We abhor war
and love peace BUT If war has been or
shall be, forced upon us, we pray that the
| heart of every American citizen shall throb
with patriotic zeal that a united people
may rally around our President to hold up
his hands In every measure that shall be
| deemed necessary to protect American lives
and safeguard our inherent rights
| The Speaker Immediately proceeded to
swear in the House members, the oath being
administered to the Representatives in
| groups Of State delegations
REPUBLICANS DELAY SPEECH.
| AS soon as the speakership fight was set
III
| election Of other officers and the Republi-
cans made it clear that they would fight
| all the way down the line
| The Democrats renomnated the present
ofhcers. South Trmble for clerk of the
| House; Robert B. Carbon for sergeant-at-
| arms y. j. Sinnot for doorkeeper Will
| liam M. Dunbar for postmaster, and the
| Rev. II. n. Couden for chaplain.
The Republicans named William Tyler
Of Maryland. for clerk; Joseph p Rodgers,
| Of Pennsylvania. for sergeant-at- arms
Bert w. Kennedy. of Michigan, for door
Keepers and Lawrence Lyons. of Indiana,
| for postmaster They did not contest the
reelection of Chaplain Couden.
Republican Leader Mann insisted upon a
| roll-call vote on the election of the clerk
| and indicated that he would make a SIM
liar demand in the election of each of the
| other officers. The Democrats protested,
but in vain. 1t was plain that the Repub-
lican course would force the House to take
| almost three hours in electing officials.
South Trimble was reelected clerk by a
vote of 217 to Eli for Page.
NO LEAK ON MESSAGE
The greatest possible secrecy has sur
| rounded preparation of the Presidents mes
sage. Although one of the most momentous
| documents ever written into the countrys
| records, its construction was accomplished
In the usual deliberate, methodicaI and sim
pie manner or the President.
For days the President deliberated on
| the question, drawing out opinions from
| his advisers He then began taking short
hand notes on his own and others ideas
| as they impressed him.
Last Friday morning he completed a
shorthand draft of the message and dis
cussed phases of it with his Cabinet Satur-
| day and Sunday he extended his notes.
| writing on his own typewriter the message
| as 1t was to go TO the printer. He then
| studied the document in its completed form
| and made any necessary changes with his
| pencil-a custom he always follows.
To further insure secrecy the message
| was cut into small sections at the Govern
ment Printing Office to prevent any one
man on the typesetting machines from gain
| ing a comprehensive idea of the Presidents
| address.
The message is described by the Presi-
dents advisers as powerful indictment
Of the German imperial government.
Secretary Tumulty was called to the
White House early today and the President
rAad his message TO him. The serratarv ~