The Washington herald., 1908-04-26
Beveridge's Speech Brings
Venom from Senator's.
VOTE IS NOT YET REACHED
Another Day tn BE Devoted to aues-
tiOn Whether Tive or FOur War
ships Shall BE AuthOrized-AIdric
Lodge, and Others Attack Indiana
Senator for Threats of Trouble.


day, but reconsidered upon demand of
Senator Piles, had demonstrated that
the majority Of Senators are opposed TO
authorizing more than two great ships
in the pending naval appropriation bin.
The debate, however, was decidedly in
| teresting and not without mild sensa-
tiOns, for personalities were freely in
dulged In, and several times the shorter
and ugier word was but thinly draped
in Senatorial courtesy as it was passed
across the chamber.
No debate at this session of Congress
In the Senate has been more replete
with bitterness than has developed in the
battle-ship discussion. Senator Bever-
idge's speech on Friday. in which he IN
sinuated that the President might have
information which indicated a pressing
need for the four battle ships which he
has demanded Of Congress, and threaten
ed his fellow-Senators with the wrath
Of the people if war came and found
the navy inadequate 70 the demand made
upon IL for defense, seemed to have
scurdled on the mental palates of the
older Senators when the discussion was
resumed yesterday, and Senator Bever-
idge was made the center of an attack
that was by no means without venom
The battle-ship question seems to have
aTrayed the younger Senators against the
older and more conservative element,
which has the conduct of affairs in that
body pretty well in its keeping. The
President is back OF the younger men.
who are fighting for the additional ships.
and the rallying point OF the opposing
host IS the Naval Affairs Committee
Two BattIe-ship Men Sortie.
On Friday the r-battle-ship contin-
gent had it's field day, and led by SEN
atOr Beveridge. it stormed. so valiantly
the position Of the committee and its
adherents intrenched in the confidence
Of winning. that yesterday the beieag-
uered forces changed their attitude, and
instead OF relying upon their breast
works. they made a sortie and developed
their fighting strength, largely at the ex-
pense Of Senator Beveridge. although
Senator Piles, author OF the four-battle-
ship amendment came in for a good
share of the assault
At the outset the four -battle-ship con-
tingent was not watchful, and when the
question on the amendment was put by
the Vice President nobody interfered.
and before they knew just what was
going on the noes" had been an
nounced the winners. Then, however,
after some little discussion. Senator Piles
secured a reconsideration of the vote,
and the two-battle-ship Senators began
IN earnest the attack on the position of
the enemy.
At 8 o'clock it was apparent that only
after a long night session could a vote
be had and an armistice was arranged.
during which Gen. Hale and Gen. Bev-
eridge, with some assistance from their
chief lieutenants. agreed 10 rest on their
arms until tomorrow, when the Senate,
by agreement viii be called to order an
hour earlier than usual at II o'clock the
Piles amendment will be Immediately
taken up, and debate will go on untram-
meled until T. when the ten-mlnute rule
will apply, and no Senator who has any
thing to say after that VIII get more than
ten minutes. Il was also agreed that the
battle ship question and the naval bill
itself should be voted on finally before ad-
jOurnment is taken.
Senator BeveTidge will then reply IN the
attacks that were leveled at him yester-
day. and Senators Flint. Du Pont, Stone.
Clark, Of Arkansas; Smith. OF Michigan:
Sutherland. Smoot, Owen. Foraker, and
probably many others viii discuss the
pending question
Vote Against Amendment.
The Senate proceeded almost immedi-
ately TO the consideration of the Piles
amendment increasing the number of
battle ships authorized from two 10 four.
when It met yesterday.
Senator Aldrich. Of Rhode Island, was
scheduled for a speech. but waived his
time, and the Vice President promptly nut
the question on the amendment. which
wa tdeeiared defeated on a viva voce vote.
Soon afterward Mr. Piles, who happened
TO be out Of the Senate chamber at the
time OF the vote, returned and demanded
a reconsideration. A heated colloquv be-
tween Mr.. Hale, chairman of the COM
mittee, and Mr., Piles, followed Finally
Mr. Hale yielded. and the question was
again before the Senate.
Il was the signal for a sensational at
tack by Senator Aldrich, of Rhode Island
upon Senator Beveridge. on account OF
the latter's speech Friday. in which Mr.
Beveridge hinted at a serious situation in
our diplomatic affairs, known only to the
President, which demanded the increase
in the number OF battle ships
Not Presidents Apostle.
I deny that the Senator from Indiana
represented the Presidents views in this
matter" suggested Mr.. Aldrieh. Mr.. Bev-
eridge interrupted to explain what he had
said Friday. He declared that the Con
gressionaI Record would not bear out Mr.,
Aldrich's statements. Mr.. Hale corrected
Mr.. Beveridge, partly confirming Mr.. Aid
rich
There are other Senators here" said
Mr.. Hale, who heard the Senator from
Indiana"
Mr.. Beveridge subsided temporarily
with the remark that he did not speak
for the President, or claim to have any
information from the President. other
than was contained in his message He
said he would later print IN the Record
the utteranees of Senators on another
occasion concerning the relations of the
United States with a friendly nation.
which went far ahead of his mild utter
diiCtS yesterday.
Piles COrrects AIdrich.
Referring to the speech Of Senator. Piles
on Friday. Mr.. Aldrich said the latter
had predicted that the Pacific Ocean
would be the storm center of a great
war.
Mr.. Piles denied that be had said any
such thing What he had said was that
in the event of another war with a for
eign country the Pacific Coast would
be the storm center"
What I object to is the insinuations
that We are on the verge of "a war with
Japan" said Mr.. Aldrieh Il think too,
that it is absurd TO say that the peace
OF the world depends upon two additional