Show UNITE 6 TATES AT WAR WITH congress declares that a state of war exists SENATE IS FIRST TO ACT six members of upper hoists vote against resolution after heated debate representatives adopt measure by overwhelming majority washington april a 6 responding quickly to president wilson Wll sons Is a stirring ti aring message and to the evident demand of the people of the united states congress has formally declared that a state of war exists between this country and germany due to the hostile acts of the imperial government the senate was the first to act ct on the war resolution and adopted it by a vote of 82 to 6 the six senators who voted against the ahe resolution for war were ASLE J GRONNA republican north dakota HARRY LANE democrat Demo crar oregon R M LA FOLLETTE republican wisconsin G W NORRIS republican nebraska WILLIAM WILLIAM J STONE democrat missouri J K VARDAMAN democrat mis sis there were eight eight senators absent or paired they were bankhead goff gore 11 ollis newlands smith of maryland thomas and tillman of those absent it was announced that all except senator gore of oklahoma would have voted for the resolution it if present all six of the senators who voted against the resolution were members of the group of twelve which defeated the armed neutrality bill at the last session there was no attempt to filibuster this time however thirteen hour debate Thir thirteen feen hours of heated debate preceded the vote party lines disappeared in ams and republicans jo jotted avd with democrats in sounding the call to the nation to support the president the little group opposed to the resolution drew fire from every side senator la follette defending germany and heaping blame upon england was informed by senator williams that dr von bethmann hollweg the german chancellor would have made the same speech in the reichstag had he been imbued with sufficient effrontery senator norris charging that the united states Is going to war at the behest of the barons of wall street drew from senator reed the retort that such an accusation Is al most treason the a assertion that the nation was going to war on the demand of gold he said was an indictment of the president of the united states an indictment of congress of the american people and of the truth the president Is not calling america to arms for the sake of a few paltry dollars senator reed continued but for the life honor and integrity of this country introduced by hitchcock in introducing the resolution int into the senate senator hitchcock made a brief statement in which lie ha sald said that the present time was one for action not discussion th t time for discussion has pasted passed he said the president has stated clearly effectively more conclusively clu the reasons which make this grave step necessary the resolution provides for war wor against the imperial german government it places responsibility for the war squarely upon the shoulders of the german govern meat charged with repeated acts of against the united states we want no more territory we will demand no indemnity we have no grudge to settle nor racial andt antipathy t we will spend our treasure and our blood and sacrifice our lives without the thought of gain such quarrel as we have with ger wandis not of our choosing it was forced upon us and we ive did much to avoid it for nearly three years the president congress and the american people have hoped to avoid it but one desperate act by the imperial german government has followed another other r german pledges broken senator hitchener Hitch ecer was followed by senator swanson of virginia who said the german government has repeatedly and grossly violated its treat treaty obligations ligat ions to us and wantonly broken solemn assurances the issue Is not peace or war senator swanson continued war has already been declared upon us the issue is whether we ashall accept war or abject and cowardly submission reciting the sinking of american ships german plots and outrages in this country senator swanson said the zimmermann plot to incite mexico against this country reaches the lowest depths of national turpitude we have long suspected a disposition by germany to dispute the monroe doctrine he added now Is the time to teach this mischief making german government that our territorial sovereignty cannot be made a subject of war bargaining what else can germany do to wage war against us when the war made autocracy that now rules Germa germany has been chastened chasteney chast ened or overthrown ties ot of friendship now severed willbe will be reunited 11 many other sena senators ter took part in tle the debate gronna stone Varda vardaman ninn norris and Pollette La Lu all opposing the resolution senator smoot made the last speech a short prayer that god would hasten the day when liberty will be enjoyed by all the peoples of the earth the roll call was taken while the senators and spectators sat solemn A few cheers greeted the result and then all filed quietly out of the chamber house vote to 50 the house after a debate lasting about seventeen hours adopted the joint resolution by a vote of bf to 50 nearly a hundred representatives made speeches in offering the senate resolution as a substitute for its own the house foreign affairs committee submitted a long report reviewing the history of submarine warfare and americas futile protests against it rt german intrigues and bomb plots in this country the effort to ally japan and afe mexico alco against the united states and the inis mistreatment of american and citizens in germany it Is with the deepest sense of responsibility for the momentous results which will follow the passage of this resolution said the report that your committee reports it to the house wit with h the recommendation that it be passed the conduct of the imperial german government toward this government its citizens and its interests has been so discourteous unjust cruel barbarous and so lacking in honesty and practice that it has constituted a violation of the course of conduct which should obtain between friendly nations in addition to this the german government Is actually making war upon the people and commerce of this oils country and leaves no course open to this government but to accept its guge gage of battle and declare that a state of war exists opens the under the unanimous consent conent rule by which the resolution was considered representative flood could move the previous question at any time after one hour and if sustained bring the measure to a vote he was disposed ho however to give members every opportunity to speak throughout the day the debate began without any limitation war Is being made upon our country and its people representative flood said in opening our ships are being sunk our noncombatant citizens including men women and cap ch dren are being mu murdered our mer chantlen chant men are denied the freedom of the seas there Is no choice as to our course we are compelled by the acts of the german government to enter into this most colossal war the time tor for argument has passed the time tor for heroic action Is here and our people will rally to the support of their govern government menA inthis in this high and patriotic trio tai bourand hour and meet wars sacrifices and wars perils ns as a brave and patriotic people should we should take our stand I ry IT T the side of the allied nations who have been fighting human itys battles for two and one half years determined that our power shall be so employed that comp complete letb victory shall crown their efforts and that prussian militarism ilina be crushed and the world shall lie be dell vered from the threat and danger of the dynas dynasty tv |