New-York tribune., 1908-02-21
A SUBMARINE SCANDAL
ITLLEY W4NTS INQUIRY.
.Saus Electric Boat Com pany Prdc'
ficoHy Dictates Ndudl Programme.
TFro-1 TIE Tribune Bureau. J

TFro-r TIE Tribune Bureau
Washington. Feb ao.-"The time having arrived
p-her = New Jersey company, instead OF the Navy
re<nsrfnent is debating the naval programme OF
- ,,rn1rv 7 believe il is time for an investisa-
tfcr into their methods that the people OF the
s-ri-e5 states may know and see for themselves
nov This company. maker of submarine ooals' Is
enabled 10 usurp the power of the President 'he
s.c-etary or the Navy and the Naval Board aho
substitute 4 naval programme of their own
r7er-eSeutatfve George L. Lilley. of Connecticut,
made the foregoing statement in explanation OF
,ne following resolution which he INTRODUCED III 'i'
House to-day;
Resolved That sPecisl Gonmittee 10 of tnxestee ye
the CONDUCT Of the Electric Boat Company OF , Dew
Srsrt %'' Tesnecting the methods employed by SAID
oae IN oonqecton w6 Rssdi thst d the fST
-n7ffee may employ stenosrapher and one SepR; TX
= witnesses and to administer oaths provided fur
tier that said committee shall report al n,1le n
81 -hss House al such time said lnNestlSe lloii
may have been concluded
-F7ouEh has come under my observation. said
REPRESENTATIVE L<iIley. to know that an inFestl-
ssfion into tho methods Of the Electric BOAT
COMPANY Of NeH Jersey would result III ias'iis
benefit the country
SUBMARINES IN NAVAL BATTLE
On what do YOU base your conclusion" Mr.
IIlley vas asked
Well he replied Il have only to point 10 'he
fact that the four batt,eships recommended oy
the President were cut 10 two by 11e ColiiiHie'e
Tho ammunition ship scout cruisers and VesSel
- lay mines and torpedoes were cut out OF 'he
+fTr The Secretary of the Nays plans for I'M
vroved submarines voted down instead
double the quantity Of submarines asked Tor by
the government. eight in number. we're provided
srd they are Of the CID Octopus type
The Octopus was completed some months prior
20 eattleeatr vnjch IS admitted TO be ohso-
le,e owing n the vast improvements mace IN
construction since shs was launched pfoposl-
tim 10 build cur newest hattleships eAacuS IKE
+he Vermont would Ne Just reasonable s1lo
bs,reee4fl- AZ II specify the bill that future
submarines should he built after the old octopus
.vpe instead of recognizing the enterprise OF
American ingenuity.
--Tbere are ~ rev tricks IN the way Of lobby
-o-k and influencing members that the Electro
Foz+ Company IS not adept IN. Sentiment is "or Aeu
III IN every conceivable manner Attorneys nave
been hired by these people. who have usually been
Influential politicians from the home olstrlcts OF
members Of the committee. and candidates nave
een brought into the field TO contest the nornina-
-ion OF members who have opposed their policies
They have gone SO far find out what new
members Of the House had applied for positions on
the Naval Affairs Committee, and they have as
s1naed have influence n securing the assignment
~ members - that committee. It has also been
zaid that they have contributed 20 individual and
rarity campaign funds.
A thorough investigation after the style Of the
investigation into the insurance companies in New
York hv rnan Of the Hughes type would throw 4
great deal NJ light on the whole matter. The case
Is plain u nv mind for by specifying the Octopus
type in the hin competition for an improved boat
Is out Of the question
Do You favor the Lake boat Nr Lley vas
asked
I Do not" he replied. nor do 1 favor any par
ticIlar 1Tue I believe. as every right minded man
must believe. that the type should be left to the
Judgment of naval experts and constructors and
the members of the naval board. II should not be
left 10 inexperienced men. ! am in favor of the
SQUARE deal and my resolution aims bring that
zhout- i any submarine boat has merit why not
Jet il stand on its own bottom?
Nj IHley-s resolution was referred to the Com
r7ittee on Rules and Will be taken up at the next
meeting Of that committee. Mr- Lilley expressed
lis .ntention Of pushing his charges to the utmost
and said that he could specify them IN ten min
,Ites hut did not care TO make them public until a
hearing had been granted him by the committee.
VIEWS OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
Represent ative Foss. chairman Of the Navs
Affairs Committee. who is known TO have alway:
been against the construction OF submarines OF
IN, r,ae would make no comment the Lley
resolution. and his course adopted by almost
every other member of the committee. except Rep
resentatiyes Gregg. Of Texas: Talbot of Mary
land. Ioudenslager of New Jersey. and Bates. o.
rrsnrz,-learia who declared that investigation
7o,3l6 follow a suspicion that any wrong existed.
representative Roberts. Of Massachusetts, said
Z do not believe that Congress will order an in
,-es1isation under any such dragnet resolution a.
this ono II the question is gone into at al, j
should be gone info thoroughly. and all submarine
cor7Qsnies Investigated The resolution should b
4 more specific in its charges. I understand tha
The clause in the hill referring 10 submarines fol
lows the language Of the Secretary Of the Navy II
ris annual report This Lake Company has alVay:
been : thorn il the side Of the Naval Committee
The Lake people have had every opportunity L
snow that they had the superior boat but the,
have alWavs tailed when the test came. ! am
strong believer submarine boats, and l realize
NAT II ne have competitive every time al
srErorriation is 10 be made viii make abso.
Iu-elv no progress In this line OF construction. i
wcud take Luke TWO years TO build new
boat, which would put the test off unit
that 81 least. In the mean time this
country would be falling rapidly behind il
r1r matter of submarines. Nj. Lilleys resolu-
Ti~1 other words. means that the Holland Elec-
1rl- Bos1 Company controls tho House Committee
N-vaI Affairs and forces il give more sub
MARINES than the Secretary OF the Navy asks for
Thee Is nor d man the committee who would
cheerfUy have voted for four battleships II he
thought that there 4 chance pass such 3
provision through the House. I am told that tsere
vill he severe fight against two hattleships be-
cause of the decrease in revenues and because even