Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-31

WI ASHINGTON, Jan. 3O-By vot-
wv ing an appropriation of $500, 900
over the amount originally ap-
propriated the house today made lib
eral provision for further experiments
by the army in the use Of balloons and
airships.
The subject gave rise to a spirited
debate which continued most of the
session.
The opponents Of the proposition
tried to defeat it by raising all sorts
Of parliamentary points, but the chair
overruled these and paved the way for
Incorporating the provision in the
army appropriation bill.
Aeronuatics occupied much attention
in the house today in connection with
consideration of the balloon bill.
The advisability of an appropriation
for army balloons was the first order
of business.
The question was raised by Mr.. Nc
Mann of ArkessSas, who drew from
Mr.. Hull, who prepared the measure,
the statement that balloons had not
heretofore been specifically provided
for and the Arkansan at once made a
point of order against the provision.
Burden of Argument
The burden of the arguments in sup
port of the balloon provision was that
balloons had now become a part of an
efficient army, while some of the op-
punents maintained that balloons were
not used in the Russo-Japanese war,
the Spanish-American war and the
Boer war.
Mr.. Macon insisted that balloons had
played no considerable part in war
fare.
His statement was controverted by
Mr. Cochran who sold
formed a good part in the war be-
tween France and Germany, when M.
Gambetta escaped from Paris by such
means and organized the national de-
fense.
Mr.. Mann of Illinois, in favoring the
balloon provision, pointed to the sink
ing of the Republic and said that no
one could have cited, ten days ago,
any case where wireless telegraphy
had saved hundreds of lives through
ShipWreck
When to Cite Virtues
"The time for citing the case in
reference to balloons" he said, will
come after they have saved hundreds
of millions of dollars, and may be
hundreds Of thousands of lives, and
possibly a great deal more"
Mr.. Macon was at last induced to
withdraw his point of order on a state
ment by Mr.. CaprOn of Rhode Island
that balloons had been used with good
results during the Civil War, but it's
renewal by Mr.. Sherley again clouded
the situation.
In an elaborate opinion by Mr.. Per
kins, who was in the chair, the point
of order was overruled, and the work
of experimenting with balloons by the
government accordingly will go on.
Increase Is Lost
After the ruling Mr.. Hull of Iowa Of
fered an amendment increasing the ap-
preparation from $25O,OOO to $3.50, 900,
which Mr.. Hull admitted after being
subjected to rapid fire questioning was
to be used largely for experimenting
with and the development of balloons
and airships.
During the debate Mr. Slayden Of
Texas pointed to the achievements of
the Wright brothers in aerial naviga-
ton, which he said had been so con-
spicuous that foreign government had
already acquired rights in their inven-
tions.
He deemed it of the utmost impor-
tance that the American government
should take the lead in military aero
nautics.
By vote of rs to 55 the amendment
was adopted, the announcement being
greeted with applause. Except with re
spect to the appropriation for aeronaut-
ical experiments the bill was not
amended in any important particular.