The Washington herald., 1912-07-27

session of Congress be. and the same 1:
hereby, repealed"
Judging from kilograms and letters re-
ceived in Washington, the country Is
stirred up over the Democratic policy in
opposition to naval extension. The atti-
tude Of Representative John J. Fitzgerald
of Brooklyn. one OF the House leaders
has apparently excited resentment In
New York. For example. Representative
Sulzer yesterday received telegrani
from J. Sergeant Cram, Of Tammany Hall,
reading as follows:
Hearty congratulations. Keep on until
you win More than 80 per cent OF the
cost of battleships is paid to American
labor. Hence those voting against the
navy not only repudiate the Monroe doc
trine and the Democratic platform. but
are not friends OF American labor"
Clark's stand Causes Comment.
Speaker Clark's vote against the hat
tleship resolution in the recent caucus
Is still the subject Of comment among
Democrats The Speaker has been crit
icised by the battleship advocates. espe-
cially as the presiding officer arrayed
himself against Majority Leader Under
wood on this proposition. Friends of
the Speaker deny that he has changed
front on the navy as has been charged.
It was pointed out yesterday that in
a New York publication that supported
the Speaker for the Democratic Presi-
Dental nomination. that Mr.. Clark. in
an authorized statement, came out in
favor Of an amendment TO the pending
naval bill providing for one battleship.
II has been assumed that the vote OF
the Speaker on Wednesday meant that
he was opposed to any additions to the
feet at this time.
Aarr -
his position in a measure has been mis-
represented They say that Mr.. Clark
favors and will vote for one battleship.
They declare further that the resolution
offered Wednesday proposed to authorize
two battleships: that no alternative was
presented, and that accordingly Mr..
Clark felt It to be his duty to vote
against the measure.
Try to Discount Reports.
At the coming caucus. It was said. op-
portunity will be given to vote for two
batt,eships and the alternative. The
Speaker says that he will support a
resolution providing for one battleship.
An effort was made yesterday 10 dis
count reports about bad feeling between
Speaker Clark and Leader Underwood.
Practically every Democratic member Of
the House is aware that since the Balti-
more convention there has been a feellns
of restraint whenever Messrs. Clark and
Underwood happen to meet. Privately.
friends of Mr.. Clark speak out in bitter
terms as they recall that Mr.. Underwood
released his delegates at Baltimore when
Woodrow Wilson had attained a ma
jority Of the delegates, but that he had
failed to do SO on the tenth ballot, when
Mr. Clark's vote was in the majority.
Clark and Underwood are loyal Demo-
Gratis, a prominent leader pointed out
yesterday. Whatever the feelings OF one
or the other. II is their duty to main
tain an appearance OF harmony at a
time when party success is promising.
As the battleship advocates among the
Democrats are determined to press the
fight the prospects for the incorporation
in the naval bill Of an authorization for
one and possibly two battleships.
brighten. The willingness of the leaders
to give assurance that a public building
bill will be passed at the December ses-
sion will doubtless bring many recalci-
t-ants into line.