The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-02-23
OhiOan. Member of Senate
Foreign Relations Com
mittee, for Action.
"ARM BEFORE FOE IS
AT DOORw HE WARNS
PrOclaims Right of Ameri-
can Ships to Sail Seas
UnmOlcsted.
WILSON'S FIRMNESS
''SOBERED" BERLIN
Significance Attached to
WashingtOn's Birthday
Talk in Capital.

WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator At
lee Pomerene of Ohio, a member OF the
Senate Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions and as close to the President as
any Senator is. made a speech to-day
at Washington Birthday celebration
here to which the deepest significance
is attached. President Wilson, Secre-
taries Lansing, Daniels and McAdoo
and the French Ambassador were
among his attentive listeners.
Not only did the Ohio Senator urge
preparedness before 'the enemy Is at
our door" and proclaim in the most
vigorous terms the right OF American
ships to sail the seas but he pilloried
the pacifists and derided their PROPOSE
ton for a war referendum.
The President, sitting directly be-
hind him on the platform. was OBJ
served to laugh at his ironical refer
ences to the referendum proposal The
Senator'S speech was Of such n tenor
those who heard it that 1t had the ap-
proval of the President
POmerene Stirs Asse m blaze.
The occasion for the address was the
Joint celebration of the patriotic socie-
ties OF Washington held in Continental
Hall President Wilson himself made
only n few brief remarks IN presenting
a medal 20 n high school student, 1t
was left to Senator Pomerene 20 fur
nish what was clearly the sensation OF
the meeting, the climax coming when he
made this reference to the pncifists:
THE recent action of the President in
severing diplomatic relations with Ger
many seems to have had a sobering ef-
feet upqr the Imperial German Govern
ment and Il will continue to have a
SOLDERING effect So long as our people
stand unitedly with the President.
THE best way 10 encourage foe is
to divide our councils. And yet there
are two classes of people in this country
who are trying TO make the world be-
lieve that the American people are not
/ supporting the President.
Pacinsts and Aliens United.
II refer to the paciflsts, so called. and
I to that class OF foreigners. very small
and very loud though 1t Is. no matter
what their nationality. who are here
cnjoying our hospitality and yet con-
tinue more foreign than they are Alnerl-
can in their sympathies. This latter
! class has little concern for that which
is American but IS guided by their
great favoritism for one nation or their
intense hatred OF another. Both want a
referendum in the event that the Presl-
/ dent and the Congress should be of op!n-
f.t, .
people require us to go to war in de-
fence of American life and American
property.
"Of course ] assume that when these
| gentlemen urge n referendum they have
enough regard for American life and
| American institutions to make some ar
rangement with the enemy, whoever II
| may be, to refrain from shooting until
the result Of the referendum shall be
| known.
Hosting the White Flag.
"I can imagine that I see these ad-
yocates of n referendum. II the enemy's y
| fleets should be approaching. hosting a
white flag and crying out. Hold Don't
shoot! Our vote on the referendum Is
/ not yet taken"
| "If there were a fire these same men
I would probably ask referendum to de-
, termlne whether they call out tho hose
cart If there were u riot In the street
they would again probably ask for a
referendum In order to determine
whether to blow the police whistle,
81 do not question the motives of the
extreme paclhsts. only question their
! Judgment They do not want war, No
, true American from Washington to Will
/ son ever wanted war. But on the other
hand. no true American is afraid of war
! If IL becomes necessary for the protec-
! tlon Of our people.
"T.c pocihs,s claim they are true
! Americans, and most of them are, but
Z let me say to them that in the event Of
! war hy the course OF their conduct they
will prove the best friends any foe OF our
country could have and IA source of cm-
barrassment to the American cause.
I New Tories ana COpperheRds.
: "ln every crisis OF this country there
hay. been wei! meaning men, II you
please, who have hampered the Govern
ment al every turn. George Washing.
ton had his Tories Abraham Lincoln had
his Copperheads, and Woodrow Wilson,
/ we'll he has the paCfists and some for
I cigncrs.
Il do not believe there Is a man IN
either branch of Congress who would ap-
| proach n declaration Of war without the
| gravcst concern. do not believe h,
would vote for war unless he were con.
WINGED that our national honor and safety
required il. and that he had the sup
port of "A large majority of his con,
stituency back home.
1.-The destlnies OF our country have
been safe In the hands of our Presi
Continued on Second Paoe.