The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-02
Passed By Compromisc agrooy,,cu

Passed BY Compromise Agreement.
me resolution requesting the in
formation passed the senate by a COM
promise agreement without a dissent
Ing vote. am within t,vo hours he
presidents message was before the
upper house.
The resolution a~ finally PASSED was
compromise measure that grew out
or bitter controversy over rro-
postl TO ask the president to tell the
senate where he scored the thinner
mann Eckhardt note which proposed
the anu-Amerlcan combination. This
proposal was put forward by Senator
stone chairman of the foreign rela-
tons committee. who was roundIy de.
tonnced in the course of the discus
sion of Senators Fall, of New Mexico;
Pomerene, Of Ohio. and Salisbury, OF
Della ware. Senator Stone declared
that he had heard the note reached
the state department through the
British government and that its pub
location was an effort TO foster bel
ligere icy" In the United States.
Segator Fall charged Senator Stone
and other Democrats with making
destinations" against the president,
and declared that their statements
amounted to charge Of "blackest
treachery" against the president.
Senator Salisbury endorsed this
criticism
There is Just one man" he said
''whs can keep the United States out
or war and that Is the president.
THESE criticisms Of the president
make me wonder If those who make
them are imbued with that degree OF
patriotism which Americans should
have. Tho only thing that will keep
US out OF war Is the knowledge that
II we are forced into II there will be
30 fttnching and that the patriotism
Of the people Of the United States ia
as intense today as It was fifty wears
ago or even fifteen years ago"
Senator Pomerene declared that
the questioning OF the source of tho
administration information would re-
suit in treating the president and the
secretary Of state as though they
were witnesses in a police court" He
denounced tho Stone proposal round
ly.
Senator Stone Replies.
This resolution" said Senator
stone, as he arose to reply to the at
taeks Of Senators Salisbury and
Iomerenc, was not brought here by
the president 1t vas originally pro-
posed by Senator Lodge. Of Massa-
chusetts. Have I insulted the presi-
dent by requesting information when
the request Is accompanied by the
words If not incompatible with the
public interest? Some senators seem
TO have developed a jumpiness that
they cannot control. I've stood by
the preftdent as faithfully as any man.
l haven't always agreed with him. I
nave been dragged sometimes. But
haven't been like some truckers who
rushed up and said, Tell me what you
wish me to do l have faced the
president man to man and told him
what ! thought, not what / thought
he would like me to say. And I think
the president respects me for It. He
is too much OF a man not to have moro
respect for that sort OF a man than
for sycophant."
Senator Hitchcock declared himself
In sympathy with Senator Stones
position.
Let US ask the presidents opinion
as to the authenticity OF the note and
not cross-examine him as to the
source of his information" Senator
declared
What the country should know ia
whether some one who haS an inter-
est in pulling us into wa gave out
the information
Senator tn omas. OF Colorado. here
that the public min. Ia in
named py the Information revealing q
plot against the United States and that
the senate should be able to disclose
to the American people where the in
formation came from.
But One OF Many Grievances.
IF we are TO have war with Ger
many, 1t will not be because of the
zimmerman letter" said Senator
Williams. This is only one of many
things to confirm the belief that Ger
many has at teast been careless as to
whether she gets into war with us or
NOT There are just two things we
shoud find out--first. II there such .