Evening star., 1917-01-05
Senator Declares America
Cannot Avoid Being Drawn
Into Prolonged Conflict.
AGREES WITH STATEMENT
OF SECRETARY LANSING
Thinks Peace CT Country Would Be
Better Kept If 1t Is Kept With
out Humiliation.

The Senate today by strict
party vote, Al to Fl, agreed to the
motion of Senator Hitchcock to
proceed with formal consideration
of his resolution indorsing Presi-
dent Wilson's note to belliSerent
powers of Europe requesting a
statement cf terms of peace. The
vote makes the resolution the
regular business of the Senate.
Senator Lewis of Illinois, con-
tinuing in the Senate today his de-
fense of the Hitchcock resolution
to indorse President Wilson, S
peace note, declared that the Eu-
ropean war could not continue
without America becoming in
volved in it.
Senator Lewis declared that he did
not agree with the contention of Sen
ator Lodge that adoption of the Hitch
cock resolution would mean an in
dorsement of Secretary Lansing's ex-
PLANTATION of the Presidents note, in
which the Secretary indicated that the
United States was being drawn nearer
to the conflict.
Il do not agree with that position.'
Eaf IL 7
with the statement made by Senator
Lodge March 6 last in political speech
at Lynn. Mass, when he said:
The peace of this country would be
far better kept: We would be far less
in danger of war today or war when
peace comes among the warning ma
tions of Europe. If we had kept 1t with
out humiliation. kept it in honor and
without fear
Let me say on my own authority
that I agree with the sentiment ex-
pressed from any quarter, that of the
secretary of State or any one else, that
this war cannot continue without
America being involved in the conflict"
vote IN the Senate on the Hitch
cock resolution indorsing the Presi-
DENTS peace note to the belligerent
At a conference of republican sem
ators who had been opposed to the
adoption OF the Hitchcock resolution,
not because they are opposed to peace,
they say. but because they object to
indorsfng everything in the Presidents
note, including his proposal for a union
OF nations to enforce peace in the fu-
ture, the entire matter was discussed.
No determination was reached as to
a dennite course. it was said. follow
PtIe 1cd
That the republican senator's intend to
debate the resolution at length in the
senate, and that it may be next We'd
nesday before vote can be had
On the other hand. Senator Hitchcock
OF Nebraska, author of the resolution,
IN an Interview stated emphatically
that the republicans were plainly fill
clustering against the resolution. He
indicated that he would seek to force
vote at the earliest possible moment
Would Support Compromise.
The republicans are anxious to avoid
the charge that they are opposed to
peace. which they realize may follow
flibustering tactics against the Hitch
cock resolution. At their conference
today. however. it was declared that
the matter should never have been
broached IN the Senate and that the
thilSuSoch SHOuiu De sent 10
the foreign relations committee for
consideration. 1t was fntimated that
the republicans would support a COM
promise resolution which would merely
approve of the President asking the
belligerents to state terms on which
they would agree to peace.
when the Senate convened today the
motion OF Senator Hitchcock to proceed
70 the consideration of his resolution
was still before the Senate Senator
Works OF California. who was in the
midst OF long speech on present-day
problems of the United States govern
Inent when the recess was taken last
evening. resumed his address
Before Senator Works resumed his
Naiedictory speech. begun yesterday,
and which promised to delay the peace
debate until later in the afternoon, two
amendments to the Hitchcock resolu-
tion were introduced.
As amended by Senator Jones' repub-
lican. OF Washington. it would be made
10 read:
That the Senate approves and
ftrongly indorses the request by the
President in the diplomatic notes OF
december Is to the nations now en-
Saged in war that the nations state
the terms upon which peace might be
discussed"
As amended by Senator Norris IT
would read:
That the Senate approyes and
strongly indorses the action taken by
the President in sending the diplo-
matte notes of December Is to the ma
tons now engaged in war insofar as
sald notes recommend that those ma
Tons state the terms upon which peace
might be discussed