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Show SEiras Chairman Stone's Resolution Reso-lution Expressing Confidence Con-fidence in the President Presi-dent and Indorsing Severance of Diplomatic Diplo-matic Relations Passed in Upper Chamber. WASHINGTON, Feb. ".By a vote of "S to 5 the senate expressed confidence confi-dence in the president's courso, aiopt-in; aiopt-in; a resolution submitted by Chairman Stone of the foreign relations committee endorsing the -withdrawal of American Ambassador Gerard from Berlin and giving giv-ing to German Ambassador Bernstorff his passports. Senators who voted against the reso lution were: Democrats Kirby of Arkansas and Yardamsn of Mississippi. Kepublicsns Gronna, North Dakota; Works, California, ajid La Follette, Wisconsin. Five hours of dehate preceded the vote, but the only active opposition came from the five senators who stood out . against the resolution when the roll -was called. The ranking Republican leaders joined the Democrats in declaring their' whole-hearted support of the president. Stone's Resolution. The resolution follows: Whereas, the president, has. for the reasons stated in his address delivered de-livered to the congress in joint ses-ion ses-ion on February 3, 1017,' severed diplomatic relations with the imperial imper-ial German government by the recall re-call of the American amha'ssador at Berlin and by handing his passports to the German ambassador at Washington, Wash-ington, and, Whereas, notwithstanding this severance of diplomatic intercourse the president has expressed his desire de-sire to avoid conflict with the imperial im-perial German government, and, "Whereas, the president declared in this said address that if in his judgment an occasion should arise for further action in the premises on the part of the government of the United States he would submit tho matter to the congress and ask the authority of congress to use such measures as he might deem necessary neces-sary for protection of American seamen sea-men and people in the prosecution of their peaceful and legitimate errands er-rands on the high seas, Therefore, be it resolved by the senate that the senate approves the artion t.-iken by the president as set r'orih in his address delivered betore i ongresM as stated above. Reasons Set Forth. "1 have presented the resolution." said Senator Stone in bringing the matter mat-ter befure the senate, "because I think wo should let the world know that we support the president of the United States whenever, acting within his constitutional con-stitutional power, he speaks authoritatively authorita-tively tor the country. There are senators sen-ators who thought it would have been the better part of wisdom if the president presi-dent had postponed the severance of diplomatic relations with Germany, at least until Germany had committed some overt act offensive to this government, and sufficiently aggravated to warrant a step so grave in possible consequences; but the president took a different view, which with great ability he strongly supported in his address before the joint session. " think it both wise and advisable for the senate to say officially that it accepts and approves this action of tho nation's chief magistrate." Kirby Opposes. Senator Kirby made, his first address to the senate, an impassioned declaration declara-tion that he would not support the resolution. reso-lution. "I regard it as a preliminary declaration declar-ation of' war," he said, "if the resolution reso-lution shall be voted upon favorably to-dav. to-dav. I do not believe the time has come in 'the historv of this country when wo shall side with Germany or when we shall side with the allies. The time has not come in my opinion when we should commit ourselves by the adoption of this resolution to any policy that the president presi-dent may herafter pursue. Under the constitution and the law, he has no power to declare war, but he has in fact the power to plunge the nation into war and to make it necessary for eougress to declare it, and he has almost doue so. ' ' Lodge for Wilson. Senator Lodge, ranking Republican member of the foreign relations committee, com-mittee, led the discussion in favor of the resolution for the minority. He asserted as-serted that the president had taken grave action and that he felt it his duty to support him "to the utmost of my power." He also appealed to the senate sen-ate against divisions in the crisis as the best guaranty to preserve peace. "My earnest hope," said Senator Lodge', "is that at this time personal feelings, political feelings, political enmities en-mities will be laid aside, that we remember re-member only that we are citizens of a common country, that we are all Americans Ameri-cans and that our first duty is to stand together in this controversy, which has unhappily arisen with another nation, and let that nation and the world know that when the president speaks, -as he has spoken, he has the congress of the United States and the people of the United States, no matter what their race or origin, behind him in the one simple character of American citizens." Senators Vardaman, Gronna and Works declared that they could not support sup-port the resolution because they did not believe the president's course wise or justified by the facts. All feared also that it would lead to war. Senator La Follette made no address, but announced he would do so later. All who spoke were emphatic in their support of tho government if war should come. Underwood's Position. One of the stirring addresses was delivered de-livered from the Democratic side by Senator Underwood, who deprecated the presence of the resolution before the senate, although he voted for it. He drew from Senator Stone the admission that the president had not been consulted con-sulted regarding introduction of the resolution. res-olution. The president reached his room near the senate chamber while the debate was going on, but left immediately without consulting any senators as soon as he learned what was under consideration. Senator Sherman, Republican, pronounced pro-nounced the German declaration ox ruthless ruth-less submarine warfare the most unjustifiable unjust-ifiable proclamation to the nations of the world, "since the days of the Corsairs, Cor-sairs, since Drake and Frobisber, when pirates sailed the seas." Senator Borah, Republican, declared the president's course was taken solely with a view to maintaining neutral rights. He warned against entering the war, declaring that entangling alliances thus inevitable would be the most disastrous dis-astrous thing that could happen to the country. Vote in Detail. Forty-three Democrats and thirty-five Republicans voted for the resolution. These were: Democrats Ashurst, Beckham, Bryan, I Chamberlain, Chilton, Culberson, Fletcher, Fletch-er, Hardwick, Hitchcock, Hollis, Hughes, Husting, James, Johnson of South Dakota, Dako-ta, Lee. Lewis, Martin, Martine, Myers, Newlands, Overman, Owen, Phelan Pitt-man, Pitt-man, Pomerenc, Ransdell, Reed, Robinson, Robin-son, Saulsbury, Shafroth, Sheppard, Shields, Simmons, Smith of Georgia, Smith of Maryland, Smith of South Carolina, Stone, Thomas, Thompson, Tillman, Underwood, Walsh and Williams Wil-liams forty -three. Republicans Borah, Brady, Brande-gee, Brande-gee, Clapp, Clark, Colt, Cummins, Curtis, Dupont, Fall, Fernald, Gallinger, Hard-I Hard-I ing. Jones, Kenyon,' Lippitt, Lodge, Mc- Cumber, McLean, Nelson, Morris, Oliver, I Page, Penrose, Poindexter, Sherman, Smith of Michigan, Smoot, Sterling, Sutherland, Townsend, Wadsworth, Warren, Watson and Weeks thirty-five. |