The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-03-01
REVELATION ST|RS
CAPITAL TO ITS DEPTH

the committee on foreign relations.
Here is a newspaper report that the
secretary of foreign relations of the
German government has sent the Ger
man ambassador in Washington a eer-
tain letter which appears in the morn
iag papers. We are not informed as
10 the source.
Senator Stone S request to have tnr
resolution referred to the foreign re-
lations committee without any instruc-
| tions as to when it should report was
adopted by unanimous consent. Sen
ator Stone called the foreign relations
committee to meet today to consider
the Lodge resolution.
! Senator Lodge declared that when ga
great news gathering association like
/ The Associated Press puts forward Sc
riously and solemnly what purports to
be a despatch from the secretary of for
eign affairs of Germany inviting Mex
leo and Japan to unite to make war on
the United States it was time the con
i grcss and the people should be informed
of the NATTER
While Senator Swanson was assur
ing Mr.. Lodge that he was authorized
to state that the announcement by The
Associated Press was correct full con-
frmation was being given officially at
the White House and state department
Senator Hardwick of Georgia, Dem
oerat, objected to immediate eonsidera-
tion of the Lodge resolution and other
senators urged him to withdraw it.
Senator Works, Republican, of Cal
ifornia, argued that it should be adopt
ed. Senator LaFollette of Wisconsin
said he would not object to the passage
of the Lodge resolution providing it
was amended to ask the President to
state when the Zimmerman note had
some into possession of the United
States. Senator Lodge added to his
resolution a clause requesting that the
senate be supplied with all other in
formation regarding this matter if not
Incompatible with the public interests
Senator Reed deplored what he said
appeared TO be criticism of the Prcai
dent, although Senator Lodge dis
claimed any intention to embarras
him. - am very deeply impresse,
: with the gravity of the situation,
said Senator Thomas, Democrat of Col
orado. We are confronted with
crisis th"t may ne very serious. 1t i
q coincidence that The Associated Press
; pubh,atitn comes when the senate i.
considering ;ae army and navy bills
= but if this letter from the German
foreign minister is authentic, and i
is said to be by the senator from Viz
, ginia, we should know it and know
now. | hope the resolution of the sen
p ator from Massachusetts will be acte
upon and ! am sure the President Wi
!, respond to it. There may be reason
for rot giving the information if il
compatible with the public interests
The fact is The Associated Press ha
= given this entire story to the publ
with what seems TO be most inpo
tant document. 1t is probably autheu
70 tie -
y The senate foreign relations commit
a. tee this afternoon ordered fav0rabl
report on the Lodge resolution afte
= changing only few words. The con
mittee struck out the provision askin
the President for information as I
N when the Zimmerman letter came int
III possession of the United States A
te ordered reported by the committee tn
resolution reads: Resolved that tn
u President be requested to inform tn
h senate, if not incompatible with publ
IN interests, whether the note signe
ne Zimmerman, published in the new,
al papers OF the morning of March /, il
!, viting Mexico to unite with German
:" and Japan in war against the Unite
'h States, is in his opinion, authentic an
IN is in the possession of the governmel
s of the United States and, if in h
-. opinion authentic, to send to the Sc
ate any further information in the DO
session of the government of the Uni
ed States relative to any activities
to The imperial German government a
ce fecting the international relations
od the United States. =
.te WASHINGTON, March 1.-Secr
&C, tnry Lansing authorized this stat
ng ment: eve do not believe that Jan;
te has had any knowledge of this or tn
:. she would consider any propositi,
made by an enemy.
As to Mexico, the secretary sal
ed "We have confidence that Mexi
m would not be party to anv SUI
os. agreement in view of the friendly
, lations existing between this COVER
ne ment and the defacto government
ne Mexico