The Ozark spectator., 1917-04-14


 3oeccooccooocoooooooooeoc >~~~~~~~~~~~~~>~~~ edly and grossly violated its treaty ob- ligations to us, and wantonly broken solemn assurances"
 'The issue Is not peace or war" Sen ator 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."
 Many other senators took part In the debate, Gronna, Stone, Vardaman, Norris and LaFollette. all opposing the resolution.
 Senator Shoot 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 senators and spectators sat solemn. A few cheers greeted the result and then all filed quietly out of the chamber.
 House Vote, 373 to 50.
 The house, after debate lasting about seventeen hours, adopted the joint resolution by a vote of 373 to 30. Nearly n hundred representatives made speeches.
 In offering the senate resolution as a substitute for Its own, the house for eign affairs committee submitted a long report reviewing the history of submarine warfare and America's fu- tile protests against 1t, 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 sponsibility 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 It be passed.
 "The conduct of the imperial Ger man government toward this govern ment, its citizens and Its interests, has been so discourteous, unjust. cruel, barbarous, and so lacking in honesty and practice that it has constituted a 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 a 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 after one hour and, If sustained, bring the meas ure to a vote. He was disposed. how ever, to give members every opportu- nity 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 chill dren, are being murdered, our mer. chantmen are denied the freedom of the seas.
 "The time for argument has passed {: the time for heroic action Is here, and our people will rally to the support of their government in this high and pa. triotic hour and meet wars sacrifices and wars perils as a brave and patri. otic people should.
 eve should take our stand by the side of the allied nations who have been fighting humanity'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"