Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-22
SCORED
BY SENATOR STONE
IN SENATE SPEECH
Terms Ex-PreSident "MoSt Po-
tent Agent the Kaiser Has in
America "-Charges RepubIi-
cans With Playing Politics

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21.-The great
est political debate in the senate since
the United States went to war burst
out today when Senator Stone, disre-
garding the advice of other administra-
ton captains, arraigned LEADERS, OF the
Republican party as playing politics
with the war with the object of taking
the government into their own hands
by partisan criticism.
Fully prepared to reply, the Republi-
can leaders took copious notes of the
denunciation and gave it closest atten-
ton.
Making his general charges in most
vigorous terms, Senator Stone dramat-
ically marshalled his witnesses" as if
before a court to prove them.
Senator Penrose came first; then
Chairman Wilcox, of the Republican
national committee, and lastly, the
"star" witness, Colonel Roosevelt, whom
Senator Stone denounced as "the most
potent agent the kaiser has in Ameri-
ca" and the most seditious man of
consequence in America"
Depsite several conferences with
other leaders who were apprehensive of
q partisan speech at this time the Mis-
so@H senator delivered his speech with
Characteristic emphasis and gestures,
and in full, and the Republicans openly
prepared to meet the onslaught.
Characterizing former President Roose-
welt as 1.-The most potent agent the kaiser
has in America" and ''the most seditious
man of consequence in America" Sena-
tor Stone addressing the senate today,
charged that Republican leaders are en-
gagged in a studied effort to make poll
tics -out-of the war. Their object is to
take the government over into their
own hands" by partisan criticism of the
conduct of the war, he declared. .'...
Senator Stones address, carefully pre-
pared, the first OF political significance
made in congress since the United
States entered the war, and regarded as
the forerunner of bitter partisan strife,
excoriated partisanship in the war. Be-
sides Colonel Roosevelt, the Missouri
senator named Chairman Wilcox, of the
Republican national committee, and SEN
ator Penrose among Republican leaders
as his witnesses" to the political plot
he alleged. Investigations by congress
of war operations, Senator Stone also
declared, have almost entirely been
launched by Republicans and adroitly
exploited for partisan. purposes.
Citing statements OF the Republican
leaders regarding the pAlitical plans, and
editorials OF Colonel Roosevelt, which,
he said. are ''villianous screeds" pub
1
clared:
Menace to War
''On my responsibility as senator
charge that since our entrance into the
war Roosevelt, by his attacks on gov
eminent, has been a menace and OBJ
struction to the successful prosecution
of the war.
THE only possible effect of these
widely published utterances OF this
man." said Senator Stone, has been, as
they were designed to be, to discredit
and bring the present government into
public disfavor and weaken It's hold on
popular confidence. That seems to be
the Rooseveltian standard of patriot
ism.
Similar utterances made by less pow
erful citizens, Senator Stone asserted,
would subject them to prosecution for
disloyalty.
"Of all men," the Missouri senator
continued Roosevelt is most RESPONSE
BILE for what he denounces. He does his
work cunningly. In the front of his
propaganda he throws a deceptive polit-
ical camouhage. 1 charge that Theo-
dore Roosevelt, whether willingly or out
of sheer Madness do not KNOWS
the most potent agent the kaiser has
in America"
The Republican plans he cited, Sem
ator Stone said, have been "adroitly d.
rected."
Acting IN Concert
MANY IL not all Republican sena-
tors" he asserted, "are acting in mani
fest concert, with dominant Republican
leaders throughout the country to make
politics out Of the war"
AS proof of Republican partisan plans
Senator stone declared that there is no
need "to try to fool each other or to
fool the country" and declared that con-
gressional Investigations of the war
proposed by Republicans were signi-
icant r..
There are various elements of dis
content in the country. The natural dis
position of these disconnected elements
will be to strike blindly at the party
in power. Therefore, in a way, Republi-
cans ally themselves with these dlscord-
and elements of unrest
But 1 especially protest against and
denounce the effort to put forward UNI
der the guise of patriotism to disparage
this congress and the present admins
tratfon to excite a wider feeling of dis
content and lack of confidence, and to
spread the poison of this impression
broadcast Plainly this sort of move
ment is afoot"
AS proof of this charge which. Senator
Stone said he presented deliberately
and regretfully," the Republicans are
''harping' on alleged administration
blunders and stalking their political
fortunes upon their criticisms.
Scores Penrose
First present the Honorable Boise
Penrose,- Senator Stone continued, who
as a great leader of the foremost Re-
publican state, very properly occupies
the front seat in the Republican nation
al sanhedrin."
Citing alleged statements OF Senator
Penrose that the Republican leaders
(Contanusd ON Page a. Column 40