Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-13
HARDWICk RUNG BELL WITH
SPEECH ON BREAK
BY Ralph Smith

VXTAsHINGToN. d. C, Feb. 1.-THE average
wv speech in congress is dull and dry long and
w tiresome, and what with the price of white
soaring and printers becoming scarce it is
both futile expensive quote lengthy extracts
from congressional discussions. There are occasions
however of such consequence and importance and oc
casOnaly of point and brevity bearing
these occasions that justify departure from this
policy.
With these few words of explanation, attention is
invited a occasion in the United States sem
occasion that resulted in the passage OF this
resolution:
Resolved That the senate approves the action
taken by the president forth in his address
delivered before the joint session Of congress
The address question the one in which the
president Informed congress of having handed Won
Bernstorff his passports and recalled Ambassador
Gerard. OF the approved the PRESIDENTS
course approved it almost unanimously.
And now speech. A Georgian was its au-
thor-the junior senator. Thomas w. Hardwick He
spoke but few minutes but he rang the bell In.
deed he pronounced as part Of his Endorsement OF
the presidents action view which many persons oe
Ieve is controlling and will control the president in
dealing with delicate situation now existent.
THE resolution is that the senate approves the
action of the president" said Mr. Hardwick what
was the action? The action was that he gave the
ambassador his passports ana recalled our am
bassador from Berlin. Well. Mr. President may
say, if my opinion is desired that do approve that
action I approve il for two reasons First, because
the president within his constitutional powers
taking it, and if he did not violate or exceed ms
cause he is the recognized of the government
for. taking such action
"To those senators on both sides of this chamber
who have expressed their devotion to the cause Of
peace desire say that yield to no one in devotion
to that cause judgment that the president
could have taken weighter STEP could have adopt
ed no more effective method of promoting the cause
of peace than to let the imperial German government
realize intense gravity of the situation 10 ENFORCE
upon that government the view that this Is matter
of the utmost gravity and that the American people
so regard it, necessary to do something more
than write notes-and believe it was-if it was nee
essary to do something than employ mere words
to drive that conviction home to the German heart
then the president adopted the only method that
he constitutionally adopt the only menou snort
of war itself that this country can ADOPT TO MAKE e
German government realize how serious the situation
is and how seriously our people regard II. IL any
thing on promote peace If anything on eartn
can nreserve peace maintain peace with the Ger
man government it will be because the German gov
eminent people realize and it is driven nome 10
them in this way, the gravity of the situation.
"Therefore with all heart do approve the
conduct and action president in directing our
ambassador home and In sending their am
bassador home so the government of that coun-
rv may understand how important this question is 10
us and how serious the situation is to u.s. ana 10
them"
Senator Hardwick made an eloquent plea for the
senate to unite in support of the resolution He en-
phaszed the Importance of concerted action because
he wanted the foreign governments to understand that
the American people Endorsed the action OF the pres
dent He said if considerable number OF SEN
ators should oppose the resolution it might be mlsu
derstood abroad and vast amount OF harm; might
defeat the very object of the president ana nulllIS
his attempt emphasize the gravity OF the SITUATION
The senator declared that the American people DO
not want fight about technicaities or whether snps
are armed defensvey of Extensively He insisted tnat
we do not want fight for English rights or LOT
French rights for American rights, and IN this II
is believed the senator reflected the views OF the
president respecting the crisis
"If any nation this earth. great or small In Eu-
rope or anywhere else thinks that the American people
will tamey submit to American citizens outchereo
and their rights ignored the high seas or anywhere
else that nation to receive pretty speedy
enlightenment as what is the real temper and sen
ment of the American people" said the senator
I'VE want peace above all things except the honor
of this country