The Harrison times., 1917-04-14
German Pledges Broken.


Senator Swanson of Virginia who said
the German government has repeat,
edly and grossly violated its treaty OBJ
legations 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."
I'VE have long suspected a diSpOSi
tiOn by Germany to dispute the Monroe
doctrine he added Now is the time
to teach this mischief-making German
government that our territorial sover.
eighty cannot be made a subject of war
bargaining
" nat NiNt Nbli NHtl llldllN w " NbSt
war against us? When the war-made
autOcracy that now rules Germany has
been chaStened or overthrown, ties of
friendship now severed will be reunit-
ed"
Many other senators took part in the
debate, Gronna, Stone, Vardaman,
Norris and LaFollette, all opposing the
resolution.
Senator SmOOt 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 So
The house, after a debate lasting
about seventeen hours, adopted the
joint resolution by a vote of 1873 to 80.
Nearly 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 Americas fu
tile protests against it, 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 ant
citizens in Germany.
at is with the deepest sense of re
Sponsbiity for the momentOus result
which will follow the passage of thi
resolution" said the report, that your
committee reports 1t to the house, will
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 1t has constituted a
violation of the course Of conduct
which should obtain between friendly
nations.
'Tn 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 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 vote. He was disposed how.
ever. to give members every opportu.
nifty to speak throughout the day The
debate began without any limitation.
"War is being made upon our coun.
fry and its people" Representative
Flood said In opening. "Our ships are
being sunk. our noncombatant citi
2cns. including men, women and CHI
dron are being murdered, our mer.
chanfmcn Gre denied the freedom Of
the seas. There is no choice as to our
course, We are compelled by the acts
of the German government 10 enter in.
10 This most colossal war.
"Thc time for argument has passed ;
the time for heroic action Is here, and
our people win rally 10 the support Of
their government In this high and pa.
riotlc hour and meet wars sacrifices
and wars perlls MS Grave and palri.
ol,c people should
ave should take our stand by the
side Of the allied nations who have
been fighting humanitys battles for
two and Onc-haf years, determined
That our power shall be so employed
rbSt complete victory shall crown their
cn'Nts and that prusslun milltarlsm
SlaVhe crushed and the world shall be
dclytred from the threat and danger
of thN Ilohenzollern dynasty"