The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-16

The gun factory amendment to the
naval bill was separated from other
amendments yesterday when the House
ia Committee Of the Whole rose and the
bin was put on its final passage, and the
foundry amendment was beaten by IOS
yeas TO 100 nays.
This result is due solely to the deter
mination that the monopoly now enjoyed
by the steel trust in contracts for cast
ings and forgings for the government
gun factory shall not be disturbed.
After the House Thursday, in Commit
tee OF the Whole by a vote of III to 50
passed the amendment for the gun fac
tory at the Washington yard the Penn
syivania delegation began at once a des-
perate struggle 10 retrieve the fortunes
of the trust. II held conference and
organized a general canvass among its
friends to get pledges Of support. Early
yesterday Representative Watson, of In
diana, the Republican whip, began 10
take Republican members into camp.
Men who would have been quick to vote
against the steel trust came out and
went their way looking pensive as a boy
smarting from contact in executive ses-
sion with the paternal shingle.
All day this process was kept up and
yet it was not until late in the afternoon
that the fact leaked out that an attempt
was to be made TO undo the work Of the
day before. Everybody had been eau
toned 10 keep mum. The Democrats We're
not Jet into the secret until II was
thought that it was too late for them sue
cessfully to withstand the attack that
had been planned
Vote on Party Lines.
At 4.45 o'clock the Committee of the
Whole rose, AS the bin was put on its
passage Mr.. Watson was recognized and
moved that the gun foundry amendment
appropriating 100000 be separated from
other amendments, and a separate vote
be had upon il. This was agreed to
without opposition, and the bill with all
other amendments was passed.
The yea-and-nay vote on the foundry
amendment was given distinctly on party
lines, the Republicans voting against the
amendment and the Democrats for it.
number of Republicans refused 10 be
whipped into line by the Speaker. These
were:
r.
BiTdSau. Of Iowa. Theodore +. Burton, Of Ohio;
Henry A. Cooper. Of Wisconsin, Charles II. Davis,
4 Minnesota; Beman e.. Dawes Of Ohio; William
:. Greene, e Massachusetts,; AISLE J. GruHna. II
North Dakota; Nathan " Hale, Of Tennessee;
Ebert H. Hubbard, 0f Iowa. Joseph r. Know
land. Of California; Charles b. Lands, Of Indiana;
sydney r. MBdd, II Maryland Theobsld Often. Of
Wisconsin; George 4. peaue. Il Maryland George
". Prince, Of Illinois Marion +. Rhodes o. Mis-
sJuri; Ernest Is. Roberts Of Massachusetts,, James
H. SgTfhsrd of and t'4uall /. Neem5 If
ohio
When the House resumed consideration
II the bin an agreement was reached for
two hours debate on the navy increase
provision.
Mr.. Burton. of Ohio, offered an amend
ment the object OF which, he explained,
was to provide for no new battle ships
hut merely for the one authorized at the
last session of Congress. lie said ne de-
plored warlike preparations and declared
the trend of civilization was steadily
toward the settlement of international
disputes by arbitration.
Then again." continued Mr. Burton
the intOlerable burden of armament
both in its expense and in the withdrawal
of so many hundreds of thousands, mil
lions even, Of men from more congeni5I
pursuits, must lead TO concert Of action
and a limitation Of ornaments. Why. in
the years 1881 and 1852 the total eXpendi-
lures in this country for the military and
naval establishments were about S42,-
td0.191, about twO-thirds being for the mil
u9ry establishment. and the other Slt.-
100000 for the naval establishment. IN
1889 it was about s42.oJ0.000. But now.
after lapse Of twenty-five years. the
total expenditure, causing an increasing
burden of taxation, is approximately five
times as much, or between 2Ot,e9,9QJ and
S2l3010,UH. --
And ] cannot allow this occasion to
pass without expressing my opposition 10
this. ambitious navel programme. Why
this mad race for newer larger. more
experimental battle ships2 Why this
willingness that the ships OF the past
should be placed upon the scrap heap
within a few years? The common sense
OF nations is not behind this problem.
There is no form Of construction IN in
dustTy. i'm buildings, i'm anything else
where there Is the same disposition To so
on in this race for ambitious experiment.
the result of which no one can tell. So
/ may say il would be well for US TO
pause simply because Of this difference
al opinion ia regard 10 naval construction
and its efficiency. In addition to that
there are divers implements of warfare
IN the way Of submarines which may
make useless the most magnificent battle /
ship prepared 10 sail the seas. see that /
in this bill here there is an authorization /
for the expenditure of 100000 for sub I
marines.
We have provision made for shirS /
which viii take five years. or until 1912, to I
complete. Instead OF piling up more con- I
siructicn. would il not be well for us TO \
pause and be sure that we can make /
Efficient and powerful what We already /
haveo I think there would be little cues 4
ton but that this amendment would pre- 1
vail if il We're not for the unfortunate 4
controversy or difference Of opinion which /
has arisen with the Senate
No Fear Of War with Japan.
Are we TO be frightened by the lingo
talk Of danger Of contest with d friendly /
nation? Japan has a new place among
the nations of the earth. but place
which it cannot maintain If il is seeking
conflict with other nations our tradi-
tional friendship with that kingdom.
pleasant relations. the bonds Of sympathy
which have existed for fifty years. make
it impossible that we should go to war
one with the other. CApplause) And
when this sensational talk shall have sub
sided. as 1 am sure il will. we shall again
4N'fn ~ '" tcAi as httS VI tilt great circle
of nations in which there is friendship to
US and no thought OF war
Again, If YOU look at the report Of the
Naval Committee it appears that our
navy is already about half larger than
that OF Japan. Are our fears so intense
that we must widen the gap2 Indeed. !
when you count I'm those built and add
TO them those building. there VIII De still
greater difference, the tonnage of our war
ships viii be 90 per cent greater than that
OF Japan