Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-01-22
NAVAL BILL In HOUSE
Largo Expenditures fol onstruc.
ton and Repairs Cr. I'd.
MACHINERY WEARS OUT SooN
Mr.. Hepburn Charges that In; ,e-
tent Men Are in Engine Roo
LIMIT PLACED ON REPA4nS
Instances Where More Than $200, 900
is Spent Must Be Reported.
POWDER CONTROVERSY UP AGAIN
Amendment by Mr. Hitchcock to
Appropriate S2BO,OOO to Double
Output of Government
Factories Adopted.
Instances Where More Than 5000, ,00C
Is Spent Must Be Reported.
POWDER CONTROVERSY UP AGAIN

WASHINGTON. Jan. H.-Strlctures upon
the efficiency Of officers OF the navy in the
care OF machinery of war vessels were
uttered In the house today during the con-
sideration OF the naval appropriation bill
with the result that an amendment was
adopted requiring the secretary OF the navy
annually to report to congress those In
stances where more than 100000 is expended
for repairs.
After futile efforts to obtain legislation
looking 10 the restoration of marines
aboard ships an amendment was agreed to
to prohibit the purchase of powder IMAM
ufaotured and sold in violation Of the
Sherman antitrust law. The debate dis
closed the fact that the amendment was
directed at the Dupont company.
Amendments by Mr. Hitchcock appropri-
atng $250000 to double the government s
output OF powder, and by Mr.. Sherley Ky.)
fixing the price for powder other than for
small arms at "a cents per pound, were
adopted.
Asserting In the house 'cday that the
machinery OF war vessels Is very short
lived Representative Tawney said that con-
diton was due to the ignorance of those
in charge OF the machinery. Representative
Hepburn said this service should be placed
in the hands Of graduates from the Naval
academy.
Repair Bills Too Large.
Mr.. Tawney deprecated what he said were
the enormous expenditures for the recon
struction OF vessels outside OF ordinary re-
pairs that had been in com mission not to
exceed four or five years.
Mr.. Hepburn insisted on his contention
that since 1899. when competent men were
taken away from the charge of the en-
gines." the item for repairs, mainly of the
boilers, had very largely increased.
The naval officers were scored by Mr.
Tawney. He cited the case OF the Alabama
and said that after getting money for re-
pairs II was concluded the vessel did not
need them. How many more vessels have
been appropriated for on the same basis?'
he inquired why. here was a vessel on It's
way around the world when we were appro.
priat!ng s6co.OQ0 for its repairs"
Mr.. Foss defended the naval experts ant
said the consolidation of the line and staft
WAS good thing for the navy. He sale
the battteship fleet today was abundant
evidence that the naval establishment wa.
In a high state OF efficiency.
BY way OF placing a limitation on tht
appropriation for the marine corps Mr.
Tawney was enabled to offer an amend
ment practically similar to the one stricker
out, making 1t mandatory that marines
shall serve on board war vessels as here
tofore
Messrs. Tawney OF Minnesota and WaId
of New York urged the adoption of tn
amendment after Mr.. Fitzgerald ha
directed poirt of order against IT, Tn
chair sustained the point.
Mr.. Waldo succeeded in getting a favor
able decision by the chair on the admissi
blty OF an amendment the effect of whic
was 10 accomplish the replacing of marine
on ships. The subject was threshed Out
The amendment on division was lost o
a tie vote. Al TO Il.
BY virtue of an amendment offered b
Mr. Tawney and agreed TO, the secretar
OF the navy Is required to report to con
gress each session a detailed statement G
the expenditures for repairs to vessel
where such expenditures repairs eXcee
$4,000 for any one ship in any one yea,
The old controversy over the powder pun
chases for the navy was revived when III
amendment of Mr.. Cox of Indiana, prohit
iting the expenditure of any money for
trust made" powder was called up. tn
amendment was later agreed to amid ar
plause.
In opposing that amendment Mr.. Fos
OF Illinois argued that powder was bougf
from the only powder company In III
United States. One-thrd OF the quantlt
used, he said, was made by the govern
ment.
MI Foss warned the house that II III
amendment were adopted you will NJ
have any powder for the coming year"
Holding up list OF independent powd'
companies, Mr.. Gaines OF Tenness'
charged that not one OF them had bee
given a contract.
The Cox amendment was then agreed I