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Show LA FOLLETTE SV1AKES FIH BHL BILL Also Attacks Preparedness Plans, Newspapers and Business Interests. WASHIXGTOX, July in. An attaok by Senator La Follette ou the general preparedness programme as the product prod-uct of agitation by moneyed interests, aided by the metropolitan press, prevented pre-vented a final vote in the senate today on the naval bill. The Wisconsin senator sen-ator had not completed Ins speech when the senate adjourned toniglit, and did not indicate how long he planned to continue. The general belief, however, was that a vote would be reached tomorrow. to-morrow. Most of today was taken up with an unsuccessful fight by Senators Oliver and Penrose on the section of stne bill providing for a $11,000,000 government armor plant. By a vote of 51 to 17 the senate defeated a motion to strike out the section and then voted down, 49 to 16, the Oliver amendment to refer re-fer the armor controversy to the fed eral trade commission for settlement. Senator La Follette contended vigorously vigor-ously that neither .conditions confronting confront-ing the nation nor the testimony given before the congressional naval committees commit-tees warranted the proposed navy increases. in-creases. j "A total of $844,000,000 is the load that goes 011 the bended backs of the American people,'-' he declared. "Why-is "Why-is this to be done? If it is necessary now, why was it not necessary four vears ago? You knew then what the naval and military strength of all the foreign countries was. But the interests inter-ests had not been appealed to then. Bethlehem Steel at -10 was not Bethlehem Beth-lehem Steel at S40. The interests behind be-hind this preparedness plan do not fear Germany-or England. The plan merely fits into their imperialistic schemes." The senator charged that men had been forced into preparedness parades under threats of having their wages reduced. Workingmen in Washington, he said, had told him they marched in the demonstration here for that reason. The larger newspapers of the country, ho declared, were influenced by the advertising ad-vertising of the "interests" behind the preparedness propaganda to devote most space to the testimony of witnesses wit-nesses before the congressional committee commit-tee who favored preparedness. "A cheapskate of a business man can get a column and a half on tho front page if he will boost, preparedness," he shouted, "but General Weaver, who speaks against it, cannot get a line. These newspapers sell their editorial good will along with their advertising. It costs something to say that, but for years I have stood ready to pay the price. ' ' Senator La Follette quoted voluminously volumi-nously from reports of the committee hearing to prove that the navy is in better shape than preparedness advocates advo-cates make it appear. He insisted that it is stronger than Germany's navy, and pointed out that. Germany, with a navy about half as large as England's, had been able to prevent an invasion of her territory. Senators Oliver and Penrose, speaking speak-ing against the armor plate proposal, insisted that it simply would mean a waste of money now that the Bethlehem Bethle-hem Steel company has offered to furnish fur-nish plate: at a price to be set by the federal trade commission. "It would be little less than criminal to spend the amount, proposed for a plant at this time," Senator Oliver declared. |