Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-19
SENATOR WATSON
. SPEAKS DESPITE
FRACTURED WRIST
The Atlanta Journal News Bureau,
623 Riggs Building.
BY THEODORE TILLER

BY THEODORE TILLER
WASHINGTON. April Ex-senator
Thomas E. Watson, of Georgia, be-
gan his maiden speech in the senate
at 2:15 Friday afternoon when he
launched an assault upon the Colon
bian. treaty which proposes to pay
Colombia $25,000,0O0 in connection
with the acquisition of the Panama
Canal strip nearly two decades ago.
The Georgia senator started to speak
soon after Senator. Lenroot concluded
his argument against the treaty.
The senate chamber was not half
filled and Senator Harris, Of Georgia,
called attention to the absence of a
quorum. When the senators assem-
bled and found that the Georgian was
to make his first speech, they re-
manned and Mr.. Watson had a good
sized audience, both on the floor and
in the galleries. Members of the
press gallery, who had grown rather
weary of the treaty debate, also
fIocked into their seats to hear the
maiden effort of the' much advertised
Georgian.
Years ago, Watson said, he had in
vestigated the dispute between the
United States and Colombia and then
had made up his mind that this gov
eminent owed Colombia nothing.
IT have found nothing since to
cause me to change my mind" said
investigation of this entire matter
and became convinced that we had no
obligation to Colombia. Panama was
an absolutely free and Independent
state at the time we acquired the
Panama Canal Zone. She had cut
loose from Colombia. and we made
our agreement with Panama.
Convictions Unchanged
ST have listened here for the past
few days to every word that has been
said in favor of this treaty. l have
at least given these debates as
members of the senate. I have
heard no argument advanced that
has in the slightest changed the con-
victions 1 reached many years ago
when I studied this question"
At the beginning, Senator WATSON
spoke in a calm, deliberate way. AS
he warmed UP his voice took on the
rather falsetto accent so familiar
to the folks of Georgia, who have
watched %him perform upon the
stump since his entry into political
life. In a few moments Mr.. Watson
took to task the argument of Sen
ator Pomerene, Democrat, Of Ohio,
who had spoken for the treaty. The
Ohio senator, he said, had used many
words. Mr.. Watson continued: All
he said could have been summed up
in one sentence, to-wit: We stole
this property and ought to pay for
" Get wrongdoer
Did we steal?" exclaimed Senator
@Are we a nation of thieves? If
there is a theft it is necessary that
there be a thief. Name your thleI.
If there was wrongdolng, name
wrongdoer and nail him to the cross,
and let this nation forever Wlther
his memory"
Reverting to Panama's secession
from Colombia and her absolute rlght
to make a treaty when the canal strip
was acquired, Senator Watson SAID:
EVERY jewel in our crown Oh
American liberty was once upon
time the voice of depressed mlnor1-
ty. Call to mind the preteXt upon
which those who once opposed TINS
treaty as infamy and blackmalL are
now equally Jealous for it. L al
most wonder whether the senators on
the Republican side consider them
selves the residuary legatees OF the
policies of Woodrow. Wilson. !
thought they whipped him because or
his policies. Have they no fear Tor
themselves in following his policies"
While "Joshing" the Republicans
who once denounced the treaty put
who are now for it under admins
tration pressure, Senator watson
took a sideswipe at the Wilson ad-
ministration.
was so strong that unless eXtraordl-
nary efforts had been made some
southern states, notably Georgia,
would have gone for the Repup-
leans"
Senator Watson's audience had MOTTO
ably increased in size. A dozen or
more house members came over and
took places along the walls in the
rear of the chamber, and commlttee
clerks and others with the privilege
of the floor hurried in to nsten TO
the dynamic Georgia orator, who was
now delivering a studied and yet merry
address Oh the Colombia treaty
question.
Very Composed
Senator Watson showed no nerV-
BUSINESS whatsoever, and was appar-
emily as. much at home on the floor
of the senate as on the Georgia
hustings or before q Georgia jury.
Going back to the alleged THEFT,
Senator Watson said:
"Who said this country had robbed
Colombia? If 1 made such a charge
in this chamber / would be man
enough to name the thief. The sem
ator from Ohio, Mr.. Pomerene,
does not dare name the thief. And
how can a chief magistrate OF our
country steal a strip of territory by
himself? He must have had accom-
plices at least.
"The senator from Massachusetts.
Mr.. Lodge, after insisting that he
would never consent to this treaty,
now consents Are we the agents
for the Standard Oil company and the
oil interests, nothing more?"
Senator Watson recalled that Sen
ator Lodge, in a report filed with the
senate. had once called Colombia
blackmailers and bandits. Now he
added with irony, the secretary OF
war has discovered that there are oil
concessions which the Standard
wants.
"Weu, if we are here as agents Of
the Standard" shouted Mr.. Watson,
"let US say so and have no soft re-
vealmentS. L thought we were go
ing to have retrenchment and reform
in this adm Illustration, and We start
out with an indirect subsidy OF $25,-
900, 600 to the oil interests. L do not
chusetts if he wants to change his
mind: that is his privilege. But he
ought not to expect us to turn around
on the wheel. If We are going TO
stay put, let's stay put"
Taking pot-snot at Senator Knox,
Of Pennsylvania, and his support of
the $25,000,000 payment for the canal
zone, Senator Watson declared that
civilian Penn bought all of Penn
sylvania for rs cents worth Of
striped calico and a dollar and a
quarters worth of white beads"
Senator's Wrist Fractured
Senator Watson is suffering from
badly swollen wrist and ap-