OCR Text |
Show SHIP BILL IS ' II DANGER OfJEFEIlT Administration Leaders Rally Ral-ly Forces in Effort to Save Measure; Opponents Try to Pigeonhole It. DEMOCRATIC BOLT MAY PROVE FATAL Revolting Members of Wilson's Wil-son's Party Determined to Force Document Back to Committee. WASHINGTON, Feb. 2. Extraordinary Extraor-dinary efforts were exerted toda' and tonight by administration leaders of the senate to save the government ship purchase bill from threatened defeat or consignment to a pigeonhole for this session of congress. Up to a late hour tonight, with the Democratic majority still struggling over the legislative dilemma, nothing but tentative plans of procedure had been disclosed. The plans included propositions for revision of the pending bill to draw support from Progressive Republican senators, and proposals designed de-signed to win back at least six of the seven Democrats who joined with the Republicans yesterday in an effort to send the measure back to the commerce committee. President Wilson conferred with several sev-eral Progressive Republican senatots, the Democratic majority considered methods of procedure to regain its lost ground, and the seven recalcitrant t Democrats conferred among themselves with the avowed purpose of standing firm. Special Committee Named. As a result of this complicated situation situa-tion the Democratic conference appointed ap-pointed a special committee Senators Fletcher, Simmons and Martin to conduct con-duct negotiations with a view to ascertaining ascer-taining what support could be gained for the bill and upon what points of revision. This special committee was prepared to report progress at the second sec-ond caucus tonight, and hold out hope to their colleagues that ultimate success suc-cess would be theirs.. Revolting Democrats Senators Bank-head, Bank-head, Clarke, Camden, Hardwick, Hitchcock, Hitch-cock, O 'Gorman and Vardaman wero approached by the caucus committee several times during the day. and asked for a stipulation of terms which they might consider their attitude. With a reservation that it might first be wise to recommit the bill, the committee com-mittee was told there "would be no change in the revoitersJ attitude toward the measure uuless it was stripped of government ownership features, with a provision that it be understood to be an emergency undertaking with positive limitations. One suggestion offered was that provision be made for the government govern-ment to retire from the proposed operation opera-tion of ships after two years. Another stipulation was said to b'e that the government gov-ernment should purchase or acquire none of the ships of belligerent nations. na-tions. Temporary Plan Fought. In so far as prohibition of purchase of foreigu ships now laid up in this country is concerned, such a stipulation also was proposed by some of the Progressive Pro-gressive Republican senators. They, uowovcr, do not favor the government shipping corporation as a temporary measure, and suggested amendments whereby it would be instituted as a permanent venture. Here the proposals of Progressive Republicans and revolting revolt-ing Democrats clashed. After Senator Norris and Senator Keuvon had talked with President Wilson Wil-son it was understood the president had looked with favor upon some amendment amend-ment that might satisfy their views with regard to permanency of the project. pro-ject. A direct stipulation that the government be prohibited from acquiring acquir-ing ships from belligerents, it was stated, however, was not favorably received, re-ceived, although the intimation was given that there might be no objection to a "declaration of policy on the subject" sub-ject" and that the government did not contemplate purchasing ships that might be the subject of internatioual controversy. contro-versy. Compromise Proposed. Another amendment proposed by Senator La Follette. who is expected to support the bill, was suggested as a middle ground with relatiou to the proposed pro-posed leasing of ships l-o private corporations corpo-rations bv the government. After all angles of the situation had been canvassed, the senate having adjourned ad-journed early to await the outcome of the skirmishing. Republican leaders were confident their fight against the measure had been won. Senators Smoot. Lodge. Weeks and others declared de-clared the bill was dead. Democratic leaders, on the other hand, still were hopeful. In addition t discussing the q;;stion vi:h Senators Kenyon ai:d Norris, President Presi-dent Wilson sou;;iit to learn l'.:e position ' (Continued on Page Two.) SHIP BILL IS IN Pifflf DEFEAT (Continued from Page One.) of S.'nrttr rnir.dtr, Kroicrrf v?. ar,1 S.-f:i f or ( 't'i Pi'. Pr..in -f ?si' c KojMi I ;-;! n. I Ti t ru:,ii;-ri . nf ul!!i Senator I'miMrMcr, 1 l.i.w f i r. w.n r.ui.vllr ! i.Uer HI11 h Was Kuderloo 1 (. d-'Iiniti iv HilT-.ed aiahist ' ll.f ndinltii- M.itn-n en tile I'M. j-en.it.r '!.i.p w.Mit i,t lie NVhilo lunis? In r.-ipnr...-. tu ;ui inviia t lo:i, but frankly rrmiii ied tin pri"'; ietit thai ho had r'1'-ffntU r'1'-ffntU lii.ldi H s; 'i'i,;i I'i'po.sili,; ex. .-lit 1 ' nt f : form c wllh .-nr m-n T nor-n n. . t li jifivddi'iit s;i :d 1 1 .a I under tin eti -rtin;tnn-es r-'r' -ini tiio fh i.i- Mil l-.td li'-HT pot !. takn up liv I hem. Tin qiiomiori w.m dl.'ii''i nu flv. I ion r or. S'-n.ilor L '.'ipp rofu!'d in l ; k aho it (he Int.:vlr.v. Imt M 1 lif Whito liniivo It wan faid that there witr no u npNn.-.ni t-nen. t-nen. New Plan Formed. A plnn hl.-h lho- tn.n.ld ith llio utmost ut-most nrvr w;h ul,ipt1 iv rtdndrithtrK-tli'M rtdndrithtrK-tli'M 1 rTii..i-i iil.i .f tiif i-oirilo in rmu-iis to-(Imv to-(Imv trfik down op,im: ion to tho kov-CHiinelU kov-CHiinelU ship purelnt l-tll, Tho program i no tii.-lude pa 1 1 lauion t n i-niniioiivcM i-niniioiivcM h h will lo .tiario.i tninirri'v nftettux'ti In Ihf ffnatr. and, nt-rordlnc to IrndiTK of tin- winy. N ra leula l o, 1.1 P;1nC I fipport for I lie nifa Mir.. i. offset t he Ivin-ii mlU rovnlt last Mn:i,;. . .flr lea.'hlpv; a ti a i: eon on t . r:m-niK r:m-niK (i.hpto,I ii l oolni un plrd;liiKT rvi it ili('mln-r Iti sr.-roi'v. Senator Kern! ol-.alr-nian of Hit ean.'iis, aun.Miiu-e.l that c.'-r.rory c.'-r.rory wa.i nro'si.irv f.r tho oovIhum ronton ron-ton thu t to nial tho plan p;iHio niti;!it I niMi n li s f nt'! i a Hon. ' It ;n r-porte.l tator thnt fn.-lmliM In 1!io plan nn iu:i eenionl to nmrjul the hill to cnfoiin with MHim PUOTe.'ttion 1hat In. . boon tnailo from muh'iih mhm ,-o( wllliln thu last tow nl rrnuoiiK days. |