Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-04-12
STATES
FORMALLY It WAR
WITH GERMANY
CONGRESS Declares That a State
Of War Exists.
SENATE IS FIRST TO ACT
Six Members Of Upper House Vote
Against Resolution After Heated
Observation-Disclosures Adopt
Measure by overwhelm-
ing Majority.

Washington, April Corresponding
quickly TO President Wilson's Stirring
message and TO the evident demand
II the people Of the United States,
congress has formally declared thai "a
state of war exists between this coul-
Ty and Germany, due to the hostile
acts Of the imperial government.
The senate was the first to act on
the wal resolution and adopted it by Il
vote Of 81 to 6. The six senators who
voted against the resolution for val
we're:
AISLE j. eRoNNA, Republican,
North Dakota.
HARRY LANE, Democrat, Oregon.
r. N. IA TOILETTE, Republican,
Wisconsin.
G, W. NORRIS, Republican. Ne
braska.
WILLIAM J. STONE, Democrat,
Missouri.
j.. x. vARDAMAh, Democrat. mis.
sissippi.
There were eight senators absent or
paired. They We're: Bankhead. Goff,
Gore, Hollis, Newlands. Smith of
Maryland, Thomas, and Tillmnn. OF
those absent it was announced that all
except Senator Gore OF Oklahoma
would have voted for the resolution If
present.
All six Of the senators who voted
against the resolution were members
of the group Of twelve which de
feated the armed neutrality bill at the
last session. There was no attempt
to filibuster this time, however.
Thirteen Hour Debate.
Thirteen hours of heated debate
preceded the vote. Party lines dis
appeared In this discussion and Repub-
iicans Joined with Democrats in sound.
ing the call to the nation to support
the president unitedly.
The little group opposed to the reso-
iutlOn drew fire from every side. Sen
ator La Toilette, defending Germany
and heaping blame upon England, was
Informed by Senator Williams that DIR.
o Bethmann. Hollweg, the German
chancellor. would have made the same
speech in the reichstas had ne been
lmbued with sufficient e~ffrontery.
Senator Norris. charging that til,
United States Is going TO war ut the
behest Of the munition barOns of Wal
street, drew from Senator Reed the re.
tort that such an accusation Is "al.
most treason"
The assertion that the nation was 60
Ing to war on the demand of gold, he
said. wns ian indictment Of the presi
dent Of the United States. an indict
ment Of congress, Of the American PEG
pie. and Of the truth"
~The president IL not calling Amer
lea to arms for the sake Of a few
paltry dollars" Senator Reed contin
ucd, but for the life. honor, and In
tegrlty Of this country"
introduced BY Hitchcock.
In introducing the resolution Int,
the senate. Senator Hitchcock made
brief statement In which he said tina
tie present time was one "for action
not discussion"
"Tht time for discussion ha
passed." he said. 1.-THE president I'M
stated clearly. effectively, more con
clusivsly the reasons which make thi
grave step necessary. The resolution
provides for war against the impcriu
German government. II places r.
!. sp0nSibility for the war squarely upo,
, the shoulders Of the German govern
ment. charged with repeated acts q
wrr against the United States.
, I'VE want no more territory. w
/ will demand no indemnity. We hav
, no Grudge to settle. nor racial ant
, pnthy. W. will spend our trcasur
!. and our blood and sacrifice our live
, without the thought Of gain.
, "Such quarrel MS We have with Gel
. many II not Of our choosing. II wa
: forced upon us and we did much {