Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-17
HOUSE IS UNANIMOUS
IN FIRST STEP To AID
ENTENTE ALLY CAUSE
'NeaS" Are 389-Myer Lon
= dom Socialist, Answered
present" to Roll Call on
S7OOO,OOO,OOO Issue

WASHINGTON. April 1.-THE house
of representatives today passed unani-
mously the biggest bond bill in the his
tory of the world-authorizing five bill
lion dollars in bonds and two billion dol
lars in treasury certificates.
The senate is expected to pass it by
Wednesday at the latest.
Every member but one present-3S9-
voted for the bill. Meyer London, New
York socialist, voted present"
In passing the BILL the house took the
first great step IN furnishing Americas
first bit in the European war
Three billion dollars of the bonds will
be used to take up a like amount of
bonds Of this country's allies. carrying
as do all the bonds and certificates 3 IL
per cent interest and maturing when the
secretary of the treasury directs.
The remaining two billion dollars
worth Of bonds will be used to pay part
Of Americas expenses in conducting
her own part of the world war against
the German kaiser. The two billion dol
lars in treasury certificates of indebted
ness also will be used for this pur-
pose. They amount to government
o US and will be issued to banks pay
able when special taxes to be raised by
a forthcoming revenue bill are received
by the government.
NO LOANS AFTER WAR.
BY amendments, adopted to offset Re-
publican opposition to the tremendous
power given, the president and Secre-
tary McAdoo, the bonds for the allies
may be issued only to nations at war
with a country with which the United
States also is at war, and none of the
money, if any remains, may be loaned
after the war is over.
Efforts of some Republicans to have
poraeefnno1 nOnr1oftfaa with fha
president and McAdoo failed signally.
Debate in the house seldom was more
spirtless than that on the bill, the most
important, economically, of any lcgisla-
tive body has passed.
There were few high spots" though
members realized that by passing the
bill they increased this governments to-
tai national debt from a little over a
billion dollars to $3,455, 00O OO0-exclu
sive of the three billion dollars in the al
lied loan and the two billion dollars in
treasury certificates.
Out of the debate stood two big facts:
ANYTHING FOR FRANCE.
America, regardless Of politics, pur-
poses to help the allies as much as pos
sible and soon as possible, for her own
interest and their; France, godmother OF
the suffering colonies during the revolI
ton, can have most anything she really
needs that we can give her.
AS the house proceeded to pass the bill
the gallaries were half filled. The lone
spectator in the diplomatic and execu
tive galleries was a bored doorkeeper.
Members yawned and went outside fire.
quently to smoke as the afternoon wore
on.
There were just two tense moments
when Meyer London voted present and
when Miss Jeanette Rankin voted aye"
AS London voted there was complete ST.
lence-for the first time today-for sew
eral seconds. Members also waited for
Miss Rankin's faint AYE" and sighed in
relief when she failed to accompany 1t
with an exclamation, as she did in vot-
ing against the war resolution.
II took 25 binutes to report the vote
on the bill. AS members voted. they
FASTENED from the chamber, many of
them to go home before the vote was an
nounced. Speaker Clark put in his vote
and announced:
"On this vote the ayes are $50 and the
nays none"
There was just It'll tired applause
and the house proceeded to hear Repre-
sentative Tilson. of Connecticut, protest
against recording of the pairs, by which
absent Republicans and Democrats Off
set each others votes