Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-23

E ~ oNGREsS is getting nrst-hand
m y information these days about
Vsasu the European war from ten
representatives who spent sew
eraI weeks of the recent recess along
the firing lines. They are Dill. John
son and Miller of Washington, Hicks
Of New York, Parker of New Jersey.
Goodwin of Arkansas. Taylor and Tim
berlake of Colorado, Dale of Vermont,
and Stephens of Nebraska. Tom Stout
of Montana, who used to be a congress-
man before 1t became fashionable for
Montana to send women to Congress.
also went along.
The party spent several weeks in the
war zone. during which it was shown
every courtesy by the representatives
of the allied governments. 1t was not
an official party in any sense. but rather
reporting squad, it was made plain
to all of the governments; nevertheless
no effort was spared by our allies across
the sea to make the legislators COM
Portable and give them every advantage
for studying the situation.
Out of all the information cleaned
and there was mass of it-this fact
Is apparent: The representatives are
convinced that this war will be
long one and that there is nothing for
the United States to do but fight 1t
out on the present lines If it takes a
score of summers. Representative Dill.
chairman of the party. who was one Of
the representatives that voted against
a declaration Of war against Germany
has we'll expressed the views of all
the members in statement he prepar-
ed especially for this newspaper. He
has no excuse to offer for his vote on
the war, in the light of the manner in
which he viewed the situation when he
cast that vote. but today he Is all for
fighting on to the bitter end.
4
The outstanding fact about this war
II it's bigness." Mr.. Dill said. Every
thing on the French. English and Bel
gian fronts makes that impression IL
America is to turn the tide. ana tnat
Is the real part she must play In TINS
struggle, we must throw our whoie
weight into the fight. We must seno
not a few hundred thousands of men
and a few hundred million dollars, but
millions of men and billions OF dol
lars.
1T makes no difference what opinion
any American may have had as 10 inc
war The fact is we are in 1t and the
only way any individual American can
really make himself felt is to swell the
mass of those who are pressing lor-
ward to victory. The diabolical out
RACES of Germany in France ana BEL
xium will shock the world for cen
turtles After travelling over some
Of those areas and seeing small part
of what they have done I am more
convinced than ever OF the necessity
Of forever wiping out the military
system that has been responsible for
il ALI
Her violation of every rule OF war
fare has made necessary the no quar-
ter attitude on the part of the sol
diers now fighting the Huns 1 talked
with large numbers of private soldiers
In the French, English and Canadian
armies, and know that never In the
history of war has it been necessary
for fighting men to face such roe
as the Germans have proved them
selves to be. Only through our whole
hearted and complete participation
with our every resource can this
abominable system be overwhelmed
Everything I saw and heard, In fact.
confirms this conviction"
1t is utterly impossible for any one VINO
has not been on the battlehelds to grasp
the magnitude Of the area over which
fighting Is taking place. all members OF