Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1917-03-02

CHdmDer OF commerce lHlnhS lHlS Is
poor advertisement for the Salt River
valley.
j. M. Aitkin was named chairman Of
a committee on the reception for the
El Paso delegation. which gets here at
9 30 o'clock on the morning of March "a
ought to go to the committee on for
eing relations.
Senator Pomerene. democrat, of Ohio,
said that in addition to the Associated
Press dispatches the senate had the
statement of Senator Swanson that the
Zimmerman dispatch was authentic.
Substantially correct" inter1ected
Senator Swanson.
If there is any variance we ought
to know that fact" returned Senator
Pomerene. THE resolution amply pro-
tects the president-permittin him to
give the information If compatible with
public interests. We all realize the
gravity of the situation. | want the
most explicit information. before acting
in a matter which may be so grave in
its consequences"
Senator Smith. democrat of Georgia
said he hoped the resolution would
be adopted at once.
After fully reading the resolution
sofiidAbi STUNT. chairman Oh the foreign
relations committee said.
1T seems TO me that the resolution
ought to go to the committee on for
eign relations. Here is "a newspaper
report that the secretary of foreign re-
lations Of the German government has
sent the German ambassador in Wash
ington certain letter which appears in
the morning papers. We are not in
formed as TO the source We have no
facts upon which to determine our
judgment a sto the resolutions accur-
acy.
There may be information in the
hands OF the state department Of a
confident nature that might not
be thought compatible with public in
terest TO reveal. Then again. this al
legged dispatch may not be authentic
II may not be true.
There may be something behind all
this we do not know about" continued
Senator stone. 1T seems to me in the
eNigencies of this moment II is the part
Of prudence and sound judgment to
proceed deliberately. | think the wiser
course would be to send the resolution
10 the committee and have that COM
mittee make the necessary investiga-
lion and tlien report what action in
their opinion should be taken. But if
that view Is not coincided in by the
senate then We ought at least To have
the resolution broadened so as to call
on the president for all information
respecting the sources Of this state
ment said to have been given ont
officially or semi Officially
i would like To know all about it;
how II was obtained and from whom
and ! want to know the facts tending
TO establish its authenticity We might
fall into a situation we do not care To
touch. | do not see how we can act
until we know the facts. We ought
to be as fully advised not only as to
the Associated Press but as to the
state department"
Senator Smith. republican of Michi-
gan. suggested the president could re-
fuse 10 give the information if he de-
sired
The senate" said Senator Smith. "as
the counsellor TO the executive in these
matters, ought at least to ask for the
information. have sustained the pres
ident throughout this crisis properly
within his possession without any hes
itation."
Senator Poindexter. republican, OF
Washington. asked Senator Pomerene
why the publication of the Zimmerman
instructions created a situation of great
gravity
i fail to see very much news in the
Item he said. we have been read
ing for months of alleged activities OF
this kind concerning which this Zim-
norman note appears to me to be a
mere incident Every senator in this
body has read of the melting OF insur
rection in Cuba and various machina
tons in Mexico. Reports like this
have been circulated for weeks and
months. Even If this is true, what
change is there in the situation?'
i have seen rumors and rumors OF
rumors," replied Senator Pomerene
but this morning. for the first time
we have concrete statement purporr
ing to be note issued by a high of
fetal of the German government.
pray to God IL is not true but at the
same time, when confronted with what
seems to he documentary evidence ant
with the statement by the senator
from Virginia in effect that the presi-
dent said that the matter published
was substantially correct | think
am within the bounds of reason when
say that there is grave situation
am not willing to act until we can have
the fullest information the president
can give us compatible with the public
interests"
Well, that does not change our stu
alton" Senator Poindexter continued
TT does not alter the fact that it is
impossible for US to send an army &c
Mexico or Germany or navy either"
Senator Hardwick said he did not OBJ.
ject to referring the Lodge resolution
to the committee but objected only &c
immediate consideration.
Senator Swanson's statement to the
senate after he had talked with Pres
ident Wilson regarding the thinner
man letter was as follows:
Il will state that | have talked with
the president about the letter referred
to in the resolution which has just
been read and he authorized me tc
state that the letter therein referred to
is substantially correct. ! have no OBJ
lection to the consideration and pass
age of the resolution"
Replying to Senator Hardwick who
said it was very dangerous" to act
Immediately on such resolution and
that Senator Lodge must understand
it was a most touching proposition
Senator Lodge said: That's the rea
son | introduced the resolution. This
news appeared in the Associated Press
this morning not in an individual
newspaper but In the Associated Press
great news gathering association OF
this country the greatest probably in
the world. 1t has put forward seriously
and solemnly what purports to be q
dispatch from the secretary of state fol
foreign relations of Germany, inviting
Mexico and Japan to unite with them
in war against the United States. If II
is false. the country ought To know il