The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-19


zion Of sentiment among racial element,
of our own people that formerly people
| from all the European countries lived
here in peace and harmony. but now tho
} Emergencies Of our sympathies were dis
migrating this country. For this reasof
1 this country above all countries should
| be neutral and avoid all foreign en-
| tanglements in time of war.
Strange Case of Neutrality.
These were the Senator's opinions al
! the time when victory was fairly In Ger
manys grasp. He has reversed his at
titude since then and now when England
and France are victorious he is highly
sympathetic with them and he advocates
entanglements with all the nations OF
the world. But at that time he was
| saying, I have no friendship for either
side' Now the war being ended VIC
| toriously, he insists that we geo to the
extent OF carrying all the burdens OF
the future for these very nations for
which at that time he had no friendship
But when these nations. now victorious,
were most in need of friends, the Sena-
tor was entirely Indifferent about the
! consequences to the United States in case
Germany should secure cnntrol OF Europe
He said, L am a neutral l do not want
to see either side win. l am against
either side ending the war victorious
at may interest those nations now
to know that at that time the Senator
| did not want them ever to win the war
| and that was a year after the sinking
of the Lusitania. These things shed a
light on the sincerity of the arguments
| that II Is necessary to ratify the League
| of Nations in order to insure that
curb shall be fixed on Germany. That
| has been done long since. 1t was done
when Germany's military power crum
bled at the Argonne. The Senator has
| talked a good deal about the 'poltroon'
| cry of Senators unwilling to accept al
responsibilities imposed on Us by thi'
| league, but back in March, 1917. wher
this countryw seething with indig
| nation because of the destruction o.
! American property and lives by the
| criminal agents Of Germany operating
| In this country the Senator declared
here that the American mind Is beint
| poisoned by false reports against Ger
many The appeal by this Senator fol
ratification of the treaty because OF oul
great obligation to France and Grea
Britain should be considered in the ligh
of these expressions Of his real teeiing'
| for France and Great Britain"
| When Senator Poindexter had con
cluded Senator Hitchcock rose to defen'
| himself. He was pale and evidentl!
| very angry. although restrained.
"This is a most obnoxious form o
flibuster," said Senator Hitchcock. II
| Is true that I did introduce the embargo
| resolution, and l still think II woul'
| have been wise to maintain our neutral
ity and not make this country n bas
of supplies for one side in the war.
deny that policy would have resulted |,
German victory. 1t must be remem
| bered that the Russians were then in full
tide of military power, and probably I
| would have brought an earlier peace
avoiding the vast losses, including 1000,
900 of men and the fearful devastation
the world has experienced.
Peace without Victory.
"As matters stand now. I cannot Sc
| that It may be better that militarism ha
been killed. that the empires of Ger
| many, Austria and Russia have beeI
| wiped from the face of the earth. Blu
| viewing the situation as we could see
| then, If we had adopted the programme
| urged. that the war be brought to
| peace without victory the United State
| would probably not have been draw
into the war.
when I introduced the embargo res
olutlon on December Z, 1914, the frs
day OF the first session OF Congress af
| ter the beginning of the war, 1t ex
pressed no sympathy for either side
only a declaration OF this country's pur
pose to remain absolutely neutral. A
that time. 1t must be remembered. 1t wa
the universal desire OF this country tina
we should maintain our neutrality. NJ
Senator rose to move for declaration
of war on Germany.
THE only interests that opposed tn
policy I suggested were the manufac
turers who were making great fortune
from production Of war munitions No
only that, but the Senator from Wash
ington. Mr.. Poindexter. himself sup
ported my resolution. I later offerc
It as an amendment to the shippin
till and a motion was made to tabl
It. on that motion thirty-six Senators
including the Senator from Washington
Mr.. Poindexter, myself and thirty-fou
other Senators voted against tabliul
That is the record. As for the Senate
who has made this attack on me,
prefer his ill-will and bad opinion t
his good will and good opinion"
THE Senator has no occasion to
angry with me-" replied Senator Poin
dexter. IT have only read from tn
| RECORD ana nave mduleed In no animal
versions on him or his motives. Q
course l never supported his resolutio
and,I would have voted against it.
do not recall the parliamentary situa
tion in which he alleges I voted agains
a motion to table it."
Senator Hitchcock repeated the state
ment of the circumstances in which tn
motion was made TO table and was car
RED by vote Of 81 to SO, Mr.. Poindex
ter being among those who voted agains
tabling.
This brought Senator Smoot, Utah, I
Ibis feet with an expression OF some SUI
prise. Addressing himself to Mr.. Hitch
Geek, he said II have never regarded
vote against tabling as an expression @
approval or disapproval OF the propos
ton under consideration. / have mad
II a rule never to vote for a motion {
table unless it is absolutely necessar
in order that business may proceed a
all"
Senator Poindexter reiterated that c
course a vote on a motion to table sic
nfied nothing as a Senator's views o
lie merits of the question, and sal
.gain that he would have voted agains
The embargo resolution at any time.
IGuSEY ESTATE To DATGHTER