The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1920-05-20
LAW AND TRUTH
ARE VIOLATED

crnment would he an act in violation
Of our neutrality The bill was open
to the construction that the president
could In violation q law arm ships
carrying contraband or war supplies.
This would be an act OF war. Such
an act on the part OF the president
would virtually be u declaration ot
war, a power undor the constitution
lodged only in congress. This was
admitted by the proponents OF the
: bill. but they said we could rely
upon the president not violating tho
Law, and that II was not necessary to
adopt the Cooper amendment. as that
would be merely writing into the bill
the provisions OF International law.
The advocates OF the Cooper
amendment contended that the mat.
ter should be made certain by incor-
porating into the bill the prohibition
against the government arming ships
carrying contraband. Among those
voting fer the Cooper amendment
was Congressman Kent. OF California.
The president surely did not think
tina, Kent was trying to block the
bill. for shortly afterwards he ap-
pointed him a member OF the federal
trade commission. Among others
who voted for the Cooper amendment
were Representative johnson OF
Washington. who enlisted In the serv-
ice and became a captain: Represen-
tative Royal Johnson. OF South Da-
kota. who enlisted. and us com
mlssioned officer was wounded in
France while going "over the top;"
also my colleague. Mr.. Hawley. and
Congressman Porter. then ranking
Republican member Of the foreign
relations committee and now chalr-
man OF that committee IL. the house.
The Cooper amendment was de-
feated and the bill passed the house
practically without opposition on tho
assurance that the laws OF neutral
ity would not be violated by the
president. and voted for IL. ihe
armed neutrality bill. TO which the
Cooper amendment was offered. did
not pass the senate. and the presi lent
on April 2, 1917, asked for a dsolar-
alton OF war and abandoned the arm
ed neutrality plan. saying to con-
gress:
when I addressed the congress on
the 2sth OF February last, I thought
Il would suffice to assert our neutral
rights with arms. our right to use the
seas against unlawful interference.
our right to keep our people safe
against unlawful violence. But
armed neutrality. II now appears, Is
impracticabie. ''' Armed neutral
ity is Intellectual enough at best: In
such circumstances and In the face OF
such prstentions u Is worse than In
effectual: IL is likely only TO produce
what II was meant to prevent: II is
pIuSt'ahs 'efAaiH W uiaN w iHNo
the war without either the rights or
the effectiveness OF beiligerents.'
We then declared war. voted for |
the declaration. and for all measures
designed to win the war.
II you are further interested In the
issues involved In the Cooper amend.
ment am inclosing herewith extracts
from the debate In the senate ard
house.
The third paragraph OF the circu-
lar. referring to the vote on the
revenue bill, February 1. 1917. would
be laughable were II not that II con-
tains the insinuation that there was
an attempt to prevent the govern
ment raising revenues to carry on
the war.
. When this bill was considered on
February 1. 1917, Congressman Ford
ney. then ranking Republican mem
ber of the ways and means commit
tee. and now chairman of that COM
mittee. offered a motion TO put into
the bill a provision TO raise part of
the revenues by a protective tariff.
Every Republican In the house except
one. who voted present" voted for
this motion which was defeated. and
thereafter every Repub-
lican present in the house except
three who did not vote-l96 In num-
ber-voted against the bill in an
effort to force a tariff provision into
The bill.
regret that my opponent sees fit
10 impugn the loyalty to their gov
srnment OF the other 1876 Repub-
leans, whom he now seeks to asso-
,iate with, as most OF them are still
In the house.