The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-16
NAVY BILL DEBATE
BURTON. LONGwORTH AND OSCAR
 UNDERWOOD SPOKE.
Ohio Representative Pleaded for tut- ting Down of Fighting Force While Nick Supported His
 Fufher-in-Law

Washington. Feb. 15.--When the House resumed consideration of the naval appropriation bill today the gal leries were crowded in anticipation or an interesting. debate on increasing the fighting strength of the navy.
 The audience was not disappointed nor did 1t have long to walt. Tho nrst speech was made by Mir. Burton or Ohio. He compared the American navy with the Japanese to the advan- tage of the former and offered an amendment striking out the provision for an additional battleship Of the Dreadnaught type thus limiting the number to the one which was autnor- ized at tho last session. 5.s
 Mr. Burton called attention to the tendency towards peace, to the untir- ing endeavors of nations not involved in conflict to prevent war between other countries, the growth Of arDi- tration as a means of settling disputes and the intolerable burden or main- taining armies and navies.
 He said that in the United States Tn recent years the expenses of the nliii- tary and naval establishment has grown to be Ave times as great as Tn 1887, an account out of all proportions to other expenses.
 He deprecated the war talk in re- gard to Japan and contrasted the two
  under construction the navy of the United States would be two-thtrds larger than that of Japan and was at present half larger.
 Finally, he said that the United States Of all the nations of the world should take tho lead in the move for a limitation of armaments, arguing Hs follows:
 No nation is threatening us. No nation win think lightly Of engaging in war with us. In England today the King, the Prime Minister, the govern mcnt and a maJority of the people are ready and anxious to stand with us in a movement for the limitation of arm ament Greatness dees not consist in the strensth of government but In tho happiness and the opportunity of the individual citizen. thing far prefer able, far more to be desired than the triumphs of war or the empty glorios of imperial dominion"
 The speech was loudly applauded.
 Mir. Crumpacker of Indiana said he favored the big ships for the protee- tion of the Philippines.
 q believe" he said, "that the Philip pines are the sword of Damocles hang ing over the head of this republic" and he contended that they impose a re- sponslbility which we should be pre- pared to meet In the right way.
 Considerable interest was aroused by MT. Longworth of Ohio. who said that while very generally he relied on the good Judgment of MT. Burton in this particular case. he was obliged to dis agree with him. "and yield to the opin- ion of a higher authority, especially as the opinion of the higher authority agreed with his own." 4.
 Mir. LonRw1rth said thai adoption of Mir. Burton's amendment would be an announcement to the world that we have talksaaa backward seep.--'-'-
 Mir. Slayden of Texas, favored inter. national arbitration and the reduction of armament.
 Mir. Underwood of Alabama, opposed the building of big battleships, but in- sisted that submarine boats should be built for coast defense.
 Mir. Kitchin of North Carolina, favor cd the Burton amendment, and Repre- sentative Grosvenor of Ohio spoke for an increased navy.
 On a viva voce vote the Burton amendment was defeated, 106 to 122. On vote by teilers. the opposition in- creased their majority vote and stood 114 ayes and 146 noes.
 Amendments were adopted limiting to $500. 900 each. the cost of the two torpedo boat destroyers authorized in the bill, exclusive of armament and providing that of the vessels atthorized to date. Not more than one battieship and one torpedo boat destroyer. or two torpedo boat destroyers should be built by one contracting party"
 Then ensued the old fight of arnor plate. Mir. W. ". Kitchin of North Carolina. offered an amendment that in securing the nrmor for the battieships. the Secretary of the Navy should not contract to pay greater prices per ton than the prices contracted to be paid for the battleships South Carolina and Michigan He explained that unless this was adopted. the MIdvaie, Beth. iehen and Carnegie factories might ins dertaiSe to raisA the nrice. The amend ment was defeated Ss to l24. The bill was then completed and the committee of the whole rose.
 Then the bill was reported to the House and passed