The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-02-22
L|LLEYS CHARGES
CAUSE MUCH TALK
A CONNECTICUT CONGRESSMAN
CREATES A SENSATION.
He DEMANDS AN INQUIRY
Claims that the Electric Boat Co.
Builder Of Submarines, Controls
House Committee on Naval At.
fairs by improper Methods.

Washington, Feb. 2.--Representa
tive Lilley, of Connecticut, whose in
PRODUCTION Of resolution calling for
an investigation of improper methods
said to have been employed by the
Electric Boat Co. In endeavoring to
have its submarine boats chosen by
the house committee on naval affairs
has caused sensation, is to be called
before the committee on rules. to
which the resolution was referred
Speaker Cannon is chairman of that
committee. IL is understood that II
Mr.. Lilley can show the committee on
rules that there is substantial ground
for his charges, his resolution will be
favorably reported to the house.
Chairman Foss, of the committee on
naval affairs. was unwilling to make
formal statement with regard to Mr..
Lilley's resolution and the charges
back of 1t. Mr.. Foss' attitude was that
he preferred not to take official notice
OF the affair because II was now in
the hands OF the committee on rules.
But personally he thought that full
investigation ought to be made, pro.
vided Mr.. Lilley could show that he
has the hard ground Of facts under his
feet"
Mr.. Foss has been for years an un-
compromising opponent of the sub
marine torpedo boat as fighting
craft.
The examination of the charge that
conspiracy existed among certain
members of the naval committee to
turn down President Roosevelt's
naval construction program" shows
that a majority of the committee ex-
pressed themselves at the meeting on
February 10 as strongly in favor of
authorizing the four battleships asked
for by the president, but they adopted
the view of Chairman Foss, that to
report such recommendation would
merely cause the committee to be re-
versed on the floor of the house and
they therefore voted to recommend
two battleships, the limit of authoriz-
alton that would be supported by the
house in the opinion of the chairman,
who had consulted house leaders.
Only five members of the commit.
tee--Lilley, of Connecticut; Thomas,
of Ohio: Meyer, of Louisiana; Talbot
of Maryland, and Hobson, of Alabama,
voted In favor of four battleships.
The vote TO authorize eight sub
marines instead of the four asked for
by the department and the president
was 10 to Z.
Mr.. Loudenslager, author of the
committee amendment making Ii
obligatory on the navy department to
purchase eight submarines of the DC.
topus type unless a superior subma.
rine should be obtainable by October
l.. 1908. refused TO discuss the Lilley
resolution or to reply to Mr.. Lilley's
charge that this amendment was in
effect delivery of the prospective
contract into the hands OF the Elec-
trio Boat Co.
The resolution of investigation was
the chief topic of discussion in the
lobby of the capitol. None of the rep
resentatives was willing to talk for
publication. but many of them specu-
lated privately on the likelihood of an
investigation being ordered and on It's
results. Agents of the Electric Boat
Co. have been lavish entertainers in
Washington, but no one went so far
as to impute to them the improper mo-
tives charged by Representative Lii
ley.