The Elbert County tribune., 1917-04-13

German Pledges Broken.
Senator Hitchcock was followed by
Senator Swanson of Virginia, who said
the German government "has repent
edly and grossly violated its treaty OBJ
legations to us, and wantonly broken
solemn assurances"
THE issue is not peace or war;" SEN
alto, Swanson continued. "War has al
ready been declared upon us. The is-
sue Is whether we shall accept war or
abject and cowardly submission"
Reciting the sinking of American
ships, German plots, and outrages in
this country, Senator Swanson said the
Zimmerman plot to incite Mexico
against this country "reaches the low
est depths of national turpitude"
I'VE have long suspected DISPOSE
ton by Germany to dispute the Monroe
doctrine" he added. Now Is the time
to teach this mischief-maklng German
government that our territorial sover-
eighty cannot be made subject of war
bargaining.
what else can Germany do to wage
war against us? When the war-made
N'N'NANN@ Nihi hpN lAlttH 'rti ilat1
been chastened or overthrown, ties of
friendship now severed will be reunit-
ed'
Many other senator's took part In the
debate, Gronna, Stone. Vardaman,
Norris and LaFollette, all opposing the
resolution
Senator Smoot made the last speech
"A short prayer that God would
"hasten the day when liberty will be
enjoyed by all the peoples of the
earth.'
The roll call was taken while the
senntors and spectators sat solemn. A
few cheers greeted the result and then
all filed quietly out OF the chamber.
House Vote, s7s to So
The house, after debate lasting
about seventeen hours. adopted the
joint resolution by vote of 373 to so.
Nearly n hundred representatives made
speeches.
In offering the senate resolution as
a substitute for its own. the house for
eifn affairs committee submitted n
long report reviewing the history of
submarine warfare and America's fu-
tile protests against it. German in
trigues and bomb plots in this country,
the effort to ally Japan and Mexico
against the United States and the mis-
treatment of American officials and
citizens in Germany.
'It is with the deepest sense of re-
sponsibllity for the momentous results
which will follow the passage of this
resolution" said the report, that your
committee reports 1t to the house, with
the recommendation that 1t be passed.
"rhe conduct of the imperial Ger
man government toward this govern
ment. Its citizens and its interests. has
been SO dscourteous, unjust, cruel,
bnrbarous, and so lacking, in honesty
and practice that 1t has constituted n
violation of the course of conduct
which should obtain between friendly
nations
"In addition to this the German gov
ernment is actually making war upon
the people and commerce of this coun-
try. and leaves no course open TO this
government but to accept its gage of
battle and declare that state of war
exists"
Flood Opens the Debate.
Under the unanimous consent rule
by which the resolution was considered
Representative Flood could move the
previous question at any time lime :.t.es s..es one
hour and. If sustained. bring the meas
ure to vote. He was disposed. how
ever, to give members every opportu-
nifty to speak throughout the day. The
debate began without any limitation.
WAR Is being made upon our coun-
try and its people," Representative
Flood said in opening. "Our ships are
being sunk. Our noncombatant citi-
zens, including men, women and chu-
dren, are being murdered, our mer-
chnntmen are denied the freedom of
the seas. There is no choice as to our
course. We are compelled by the acts
of the German government to enter in
to this most colossal war
'"rhe time for argument has passed /;
the time for heroic action is here, and
our people will rally to the support of
their governmen, In this high and pa
triotIc hour and meet wars sacrifices
and wars perils as brave and patrl-
otic people should.
"We should take our stand by the
side of the allied nations who have
been fighting humanlty's battles for
two and one-half years, determined
that our power shall be so employed
that complete victory shall crown their
efforts and that Prussian milItarism
shall be crushed and the world shall be
delivered from the threat and danger
OF the Hohenzollern dynasty"