The Washington herald., 1908-04-24
EXPECT HOT DEBATE
Battle Ship Contest Is De-
ferred Until To-day.
PILES PROPOSES A MEASURE
Washington Senator Would Substi-
tute Four ships for Two, as Au-
thOFized by the HOuse-HaIe Pre-
diets that Effort to Double Pro-
gramme of Building VIII Fail.

Deferred yesterday because Of the late
ness OF the hour at which IL was reached,
the question whether the pending naval
appropriation bill shall authorize the con-
struction Of four battle ships of the Del
aware class. instead Of the two which
were allowed by the House. viii be de-
bated in the Senate to-day.
Senator's who viii contend for the IN
creased number Of vessels said last night
that they VIII do all they can TO win,
and Il was predicted that the debate will
be one Of the warmest and most interest
ing that has been heard in the Senate
chamber at this session Of Congress.
The bill had been completed except for
the battle-ship clause, when Senator
Piles OF Washington. arose late yester-
DAY afternoon and moved TO strike out
the word two" where il occurs in the
section relating 20 the new war ships
and insert the word -four" At the
same time Mr.. Piles asked that the
amendment go over until to-day. as there
was mnifestly not time for the extend
ed debate that is anticipated unless a
night session was 10 he held
hale Grows Facetious.
Mr.. Hale, chairman OF the Committee
on Naval Affairs. agreed TO the post
ponement, but remarked facetiously that
ne did not believe the Senate. which had
made Up its miad on the battle-ship sec
ton. would change its opinion over night.
Mr.. Hale asked If any Senator desired
to go on at once with the debate. in order
10 facilitate the conclusion Of discussion
on the bill, but there was no response.
Mr.. Files, as the author Of the amend
ment. will make the opening argument for
il to-day and will be followed by those
who oppose the increase Senators Lodge
and Perkins will. dpubtless. speak for the
increase. and hTT. Tale and others against
il. Senator BeveTiige. one OF the strong
est exporents Of the big navy" plan, will
close the debate.
Il was said last tight that the ranks
Of the Senator's whOdesire the authorize
| ton OF four battle hips instead Of two
had grown by three members, and that
they hoped by the the Of the debate to-
day TO secure more votes. Mr Hale,
however, confidently predicted that the
two-ship provision void not be changed.
Approve PayIncreHSe.
The Senate consideresth bill for nearly
three hours yesterday. Most Of the i'm
portant amendments nde to the House
bill by the Senate committee were
adopted.
The amendment givindncreased pay to
officers and enlisted m was adopted
after Chairman Hale hi assured Sena-
tor Warren, chairman c the Committee
on Military Affairs ths he would use
| his efforts in the cOnfence to see that
the navy increase did nc exceed the in
| creases given for the spending serv-
ice IN the army AS the nendment was
passed there is a consiFable increase
in navy over army pay.
Knock Out staR Hause.
The amendment prepare by Mr.. Hale
giving TO officers Of thevarious staff |
corps actual rank and tit as now es- |
tablished for the staff cOrDsf the army" |
but providing that it shou mot carry
command over any vessel. vas knocked |
out on point Of order rails by Senator
Lodge, Of Massachusetts.
Mr.. Hale expressed regL He said /
that he had hoped 10 sett finally the /
friction between the staff anthe line by /
the amendment he had Offer. the most /
recent example OF which h been the
conflict growing cut of the etai of a
surgeon to command a hospi ship.
Use OF Shnckies FOrbden.
An amendment offered by sator Nei-
son, of, Minnesota. abolishingae use OF
irons as method of punlshrnt in the
navy. was promptly adopted. T. Nelson
had some letters read which dsiled the |
cruelties inflicted with this ,thod OF
punishment
Mr. Hale added $1,000 300 tQhe bill
for construction Work on new ips au-
thorized. pursuant to the Eoticae gave
yesterday. He also provided 5000 for
new ammunition hOists.
An effort was made by Senat, Gore
of Oklahoma. and Bacon, OF GeSia TO
amend the bill TO permit the SeChrv of
the Navy to buy material for bat shjps
| in any market in the world, to ad the !
"eStortons OF the steel trust The
amendments were rejected.
An amendment offered by aator
/ Johnston, Of Alabama and acceg bv
Senator Hale, authorized the expeiture
| Of 100000 for a new destroyer the
semi-submerged or subsurface typeFhjs I
provision was stricken out in the .use ,
on a point of order after RepreseHive
Hobson had made fight to have re-
tanned. II