Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-02-22
ROOSEVELT WILL ACT.
President Preparing Message on
Submarine Charges.

4 ~
Submarine Charges.
MAY ASK CONGRESS TO PROBE
Plans to Recommend Adoption of Hi
Four Big Battleship Programme ans
Investigation of Congressman Lii
ley's Accusations.
Washington, Feb. %. = Presiden
Roosevelt will not let the resolution
introduced by Representative Lilley OF
Connecticut authorizing the appoint
ment Of committee of five to investi
gate the Electric Boat Company OF
New Jersey be pigeonholed by the
committee on rules If he can help it
He is preparing message to congress
urging the adoption of his naval pro
gramme in its entirety and remarking
that the charges limited at in the reso-
lightly.
Though the committee on rules is
considering the resolution and will call
upon Representative Lilley of Connect
lieut., member of the committee on ma
val affairs. who presented it, to base
his charges upon hard facts, there was
no doubt in the smoking rooms on both
sides of the house that an investiga-
ton by congress must be made into the
lavish lobby which has been maintain
ed in Washington by the boat COM
pany.
Sliced Naval Programme.
Lilley's charge that the committee
sliced in half President Roosevelt's
programme for four big battleships
and doubled the number of submarine
boats the president asked for has start
ed members of the house to serious
thinking. Lilley, it was admitted, has
told facts that startle, and an investi-
CATION seems to be the only result.
The committee on rules, consisting
of Speaker Cannon and Representatives
Dalzell, Sherman, John Sharp williams
and De Almond, have informed Repre-
sentative Lilley unofficialIy that he
must be prepared to present facts to
them before they will report the reso-
luton to the house for consideration.
Chairman Foss of the committee on ma
val affairs, though unwilling to make
any statement for publication, said he
thought that a full investigation should
be made and said that Lilley "could
show that he has the hard ground of
facts under his feet"
Representative Foss has been a bit.
ter opponent for years of the sub.
marine torpedo boat as a fighting craft.
and there seems to be little doubt but
that he would back Lilley in the pres
ent fight against the Electric Boat
company. He would not discuss the
assertion made in other quarters that
there had been a conspiracy among
certain members of the naval commit.
tee to turn down President Roose.
How The Lineup Stood.
An investigation into the sentiment
" the committee when 1t was consid-
ring at first President Roosevelt's ma
yal programme shows that at a meet
ng on Feb. 10 majority Of the com.
nittee expressed themselves as favor
lble to the four battleships which
President Roosevelt had asked for. The
members of the committee, however,
we're inclined to think II they made
UGH recommendation they would go
gainst the sentiment of the matori-
y of the members Of the house and
would cause the committee to be re.
ersed on the floor.
On that ground, it was said. the com.
nittee voted for two battleships in.
tead Of four. thinking that such
lumber was the limit the house would
upport. Representatives Lilley Of
Thomas of Ohio. Talbot
Maryland. Meyer Of Louisiana and
Iobson Of Alabama voted for the four
The vote TO authorize the purchase
eight submarines instead of four,
'hich President Roosevelt wanted.
as 10 TO Z. Those who wanted the {
overnment to buy eight submarines s
'ere Loudenslager Of New Jersey,
utter Of Pennsylvania. Roberts OF
Massachusetts,, Loud OF Michigan.
ates OF Pennsylvania. Thomas OF $
hio, Dawson of Iowa. Ellis OF Ore
IN. Gregg Of Texas and Talbot Of q
aryland. S
Loudenslaser NoneommittsL
The noes were Foss OF Illinois. Mudd =
Maryland, Lilley OF Connecticut, OIL. =
1T Of New York. Padgett OF Tennes- :
e, Lamar Of Missouri and Hobson OF =
ALBANIA. The committee declined TO =
We the name OF the member on whose I,
otion the authorization was doubled. S
author Of the commit. d
amendment making II obligatory e
on the navy department TO buy eight c,
bmarines Of the Octopus type. such %
made by the Electric Boat company. Y
lees a superior submarine should be A
tainable by Oct. ], 1905. refused to n
'cuss the resolution or to reply to =
lley's charge that the amendment In Y
ect delivered the prospective con- y
let into the hands Of the Electric e
at company. He intimated he would :
'ly at the proper time and would :,
prepared to refute all charges of -
roritism. !.