The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-03-06
UNITED CONGRESS WILL
FURNISH LOYAL SUPPORT
Both Houses Follow Policy of "Amer-
lea First."-Merchant Ships Win
Garry Arms.-House Passes Bill to
Give Authority For Bread Action.

lea FlFSt."-heFcnanf SHIPS VIII
Garry Arms.-House Passes Bill to
Give Authority For Broad Action.
Washington, March 1-President
Wilson tonight. in response to the
senate's call, laid before that body
official information that the United
States government is in possession
OF evidence which establishes the au-
thenticity of the sensational document
which disclosed how Germany in
trigued to ally Mexico and Japan with
her to war on this country.
In response to the resolution the
president transmitted report from
Secretary Lansing stating that the evil
dence had come into the possession
of the United States within the last
week and that the authenticity OF
Foreign Minister Zimmerman's IN
struction to German Minister Won
Eckhardt in Mexico City is establish
ed as revealed by the Associated
Press. :41Ma
The presidents reply to the senate
resolution and Secretary Lansing's re-
port are as follows:
'sTo the Senate
"In response to- the resolution
adopted by the senate on March
/, 1917, requiring the president to fur
nish the senate, if not incompta1-
BILE with the public interest, whatever
information he has concerning the
''The White House.
note pubLsasd in the press os this
Cate purpoTtirg to have been Sent
January 19, 1917, by the German sec-
relary TO: foreign affairs to the Ger
man minister to Mexico, I transmit
herewith report by the secretary
Of state which has my approval.
(Signed) woodrow Wilson"
Washington, March /, 1917.
''To the President:
''Tle resolution adopted by the
United tSates senate on March 1, 1917,
requesting that that body be furnish
ed, if not incompatible with the pub
lie interest, whatever information you
have concerning the note published in
the press of this date purporting to
have been sent January 10, 1917, by
the German secretary for foreign af-
fairs to the German minister to Mexi
co, have the honor to state that the
government is in possession Of evi-
dence which establishes the fact that
the note referred to is authentic and
that it is in possession of the govern
ment of the United States and that the
evidence was procured by this gov
ernment during the present week; but
that it is in my opinion incompatible
with the public interest to send the
senate at the present time any fur
>ther information in possession of the
government of the United States re-
lative to the note mentioned in the
resolution of the senate.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed} Robert Lansing"
Department of State, Washington
March 1, 1917
The senate without comment or
dered the report and letter printed
and referred to the foreign relations
committee. -.
Day of Debate.
Adoption of the resolution asking
for the information came at the close
of a day of solemn debate which
reached a climax with Republican
senators joining Democrats in con-
demning the, attitude of Senator
Stone, chairman Of the foreign rela-
tions committee, who declared the
story of the plot was given. out by
the government to affect public opin-
ion and insisted upon asking the pres
ideut whether the information was
received from the representative OF
any belligerent nation.
Senator Fall, Republican, said ne
did not wonder that the president
decided to reach public opinion
through the press in view of the at
titude of members of the senate who
ought to be his advisers. The sub
ject came up soon after the senate
assembled and engrossed attention
nearly all day in spite Of the mass
of legislation awaiting action. Sena-
tors on both sides of the chamber
expressed amazement at the story
and declared if it were true the SEN
ate should be informed.
Senator Swanson, the fourth Demo
cratic member of the foreign rela-
tions committee, announced that he
had been authorized by the president
to say that the note from German
Foreign Minister Zimmerman to the
German minister at Mexico City Or
dering and outlining the plot was
substantially" correct as published.
Senator Lodge at once moved that
the president be asked to inform the
senate whether the Zimmerman note
was authentic and to furnish any
other information about it not in
compatible with the public interest,
This was referred to the foreign rela-
tions committee, which soon reported
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