The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-08
PRESIDENT signs WAkI



only deferred--we must do It with
perfect union. We must do nothing
now to embarrass the president. and,
above all, we must act with absolute
unity when we take the great step
the great, just and righteous step of
! declaring war upon Austria Hun
gary
There is no feeling OF hostility to
Bulgarian people I'm this country;
any feeling, he declared, is directed
against the king of Bulgaria.
Scores Bulgarian King.
i think It would be difficult to find
In history a haser. meaner figure"
said Mr.. Lodge. than that sovereign.
He is said to be without the one re-
deeming quality which liz usually at
tributed to petty tyrants-the virtue
OF personal courage"
Objection was made by Senator
Lodge to allowing the Bulgarian lega-
ton to remain In Washington, on the
ground that It's staff either are trail
tors to their own country or repre-
sent Germany and her allies in the
capital of the United States.
In scathing Indictment of the
Turk, the senator said he would not
wish to see this nation appear at the
peace table "as still the friend" of
that nation.
After the vote had been taken.
Senator Knox. OF Pennsylvania, spoke
OF the tens OF thousands of Austro-
Hungarian subjects in this country,
some fighting as United States SOL
diers.
Senator Reed. OF Missouri urged that
a statute be passed making the Aus
tro-Hunga rians, now American sol
diers, full citizens. He and Mr.. Knox
both stressed the idea that most OF
the subjects of that nation In this
country are utterly hostile to Austria
Chief interest in the house Of rep
resentatives centered about Meyer
London. the Socialist. who was asked
by his party to speak and vote against
the resolution.
1t Is because feel an obligation to
give expression to the Socialist view
that l. shall vote against war" Lon
don said.
Mr., London was answered imme-
diately by Lenroot. of Wisconsin. and
Chandler. of New York.
Lonaon's stand Excoriated.
1T la strange indeed" declared Lem
root. that a man representing the So
Ciaiist party.-thst pretends to stand
stronger than any of the other parties
for real democracy and for a peoples
government should take n position In
the house tho only effect OF which can
(
the worst autocracy the world has ever
: known"
Chandler painted out that Londons
| position did not square with that OF
fother great Socialists. such as ker-
ensky. abroad, and spargo and others
here.
| Miss Jeanette Rankin. of Montana,
! who voted against war last spring
/ voted for the declaration against Aus
! tria,
Il atill believe that war is a stupid
and futile way OF attempting to settle
. International difficulties she de-
clared. When the United states de-
| cared war on Germany 1t virtually de-
I clared war on ,Germany's allies. This
4 is merely a vote on a technicality in
! the prosecution of the war already de-
| clared. ] shall vote for this as | have
| voted for money and men"
| Aside from these two speeches there
was no dscordant note Every mem
| Der who took the floor declared Tor ac-
! ton against Austria at once and about
! half OF them wanted declarations
| against Turkey and Bulgaria imme-
! diateiv.
The most picturesque feature of the
! day was the leadership of the veteran,
! Henry Allen Cooper. Republican, of
! Wisconsin. OF the minority forcss He
voted against war last spring. and is
7 opposed to all war on Humanitarian
"nde nut he marshalled the Repuh-
liean forces today--forsefully and
( ably.