Newport daily independent., 1918-01-21
SENATOR STONE
 TALKS BITTERLY Charges Former President and Re- publicans With Plot to Take
 Over the Government.
Associated Press Dispatch.

Washington, Jan. 21.--Character- izing former President Roosevelt as "the most potent agent the kaiser has in America" and sthe most sedi- ltious man of consequence in Ameri- ca," Senator Stone, adressing the senate today, charged that republi- can leaders are engaged in studied effort to make politics out of the war. Their object is to "take the govern ment over into their own hands," by partisan criticism of the conduct of the war, he declared.
 Senator Stones address, carefully prepared, the first of political signif- icance made in congress since the Un- ited States entered the war, and re- garded as the forerunner of bitter partisan strife, excoriated partisan ship in the war. Besides Col. Roose- welt, the Missouri committee, and Sen- ator Penrose were among republican leaders as his witnesses" to the po- litical plot he alleged. Investigations by congress of war operations, Sena- tor Stone also declared, have almost entirely been launched by republif and adroitly exploited for parth purposes.
 Citing statements of the republican leaders regarding the political plans and editorials of Col Roosevelt, which, he said, are "villianous screeds,' published for money, Sena- tor Stone declared:
 "On my own responsibility as senator I charge that since our en- trance into the war Roosevelt, by hls attacks on his government, has been menace and obstruction to the suc- cessful 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 dis credit and bring the present govern ment into public disfavor and week en it's hold on popular confidence. That seems to be the Rooseveltian standard of patriotism"
 Similar utterances made by less powerful citizens, Senator Stone as-l serted, would subject them to prose- cution for disloyalty.
 "Of all men," the Missouri sena-l tor continued, Roosevelt is most re- sponsible for what he denounces. He does his work cunningly. In the front of his propaganda he throws deceptive political camouflage. ! charge that Theodore Roosevelt, whether willingly or out of sheer madness-I don't know-is the most potent agent the kaiser has in Amer ica. I cannot escape the belief that this exceptional colonel, who has played so many games of questionable politics, is now playing another game of his particular brand for a very great stake"
 The republican plans he cited, Sen ator Stone said, have been "adroitly directed
 "Many if not all republican sena- tors," he asserted, "are acting m manifest concert, with dominant re~ publican leaders throughout the , counsry to make politics out of the { war"
 As proof of republican partisan plans Senator Stone declared that there is no need Ito try to fool each other or to fool the country" and de- clared that congressional investiga- tions of the war proposed by repub- licans were significant.
 "There are various elements of dis content in the country. The natural disposition of these discontented ele- I-A- ..xs1y bc k<> <stxsEo hIiudIv af fhn