Valdez daily prospector., 1917-10-16
Makes Strong Defense


Senator LaFollette, whose expulsion
from the senate for disloyalty was
urged in various petitions, replied to
critics of his course In the war today
in a long and carefully prepared
speech. He asserted that the war
party" besides carrying on cam
paign of. Libel and character assas-
sination" against members of con-
gress who voted against the war, was
attempting to suppress discussion of
war issues and intimidate the people
themselves by invading their homes
and unlawfully throwing them into
Jail.
LaFOllette, always a spectacular
figure in debate, and acknowledged
as no mean opponent by his enemies,
had spent yesterday and most of the
night preparing his speech. Defending
his course of opposing the declara-
ton of war and subsequent attacks on,
war politics, LaFollette declared:
1T is the citizens duty to obey the
law until it is repealed or declared
unconstitutional. But he has the in
alienable right to fight what he deems
an obnoxious law of wrongful pol
icy in the courts and at the ballot
box.
1T is the suppressed emotion of
the masses that breed revolution. If
the American people are to carry on
this great war; if public opinion is
to be enlightened and intelligent,
there must be free discussion.
Congress, as we'll as the people of
the United States, entered the war
in great confusion of mind and un-
der feverish excitement. The presi-
dents leadership was followed un-
questionably in the faith that he had
some big. unrevealed plan by which
peace that would exalt him before all
the world would soon be achieved.
Kellogg Assails Colleague
Senator Kellogg accused LaFollette
of mis-stating facts in the st. Paul
speech and denied that this country
went to war to secure Americans the
right to travel on munition-fadep
ships or to protest loans made by
Morgan & Co. to foreign governments.
"I am as jealous of the right Of
free speech as any member of~this
body" Senator Kellogg said, "but this
is a question of erroneous statement
Of facts rather than of free speech: !"
II have no right or WISH" he con-
tinued. ITO criticise any man who vot-
ed against this nation going to war,
although I may disagree with him;
but we are at war and 1 believe men
of this body, men of influence, should
not make statements tending to aid
and encourage the enemy and to cast
dishonor and discredit upon this ma
tion. s.r
Imagine the circulation IN the Ger
man empire of those statements re-
iecting discredit upon our prosecu-
ton of the war and sustaining the
justice of the cause Of the German
empire Could these people be blamed
for believing in a cause however lack
ing in justice and right. If these are
the reasons which lead us into this
great conflict and sustain us through
it's trying ordeals?" go.
LaFollettes quoted at length from
Mexican war speeches OF Lincoln,
Clay, Webster and Sumner in support
of his defense Of the right Of a MEM
ber of congress to assail the policy Of
the government and dwelt at length
upon the constitutional duty Of con-
gress' rather than the president to
proclaim the nations purpose in TAX
ing up arms. He made no reference
to the inquiry ordered By the senate
into his speech before the Nom Parti.
sah' LNagte u st.. .lPadl. and dwelt
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