New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-06
SENATE INSISTS UPON
TWO BATTLESH|P PLAN
Defeats House Programme to
Limit Yearly Increase of
the Navy.
THE VOTE WAS II TO 43
Amendment Providing for Grade
of Admiral for Fleet Com
manders Is Eliminated
from the Bill.

Washington. July By q vote OF II
10 Is to-day the Senate upset the pro
gramme Of the House to limit the in
crease Of the navy to one battleship and
sustained an amendment TO the naval
appropriation bill authorizing the con-
struction OF two vessels carrying ds
heavy armor and as owerful armament"
as any OF their class. only eight Demo-
Gratis and four Republicans voted against
the two battleships. Fifteen Democrats
and twenty eight Republicans voted for
them.
The amendment Of the Senate commit
tee providing for two ships was adopte 1
with little debate. Senator Johnston. o.
Alabama. made o. brief plea for a rcdur-
tion of armament. hasing it on the
ground that the maintenance of navies
was heavy burden for the people OF the
world. but his protest found little fe-
Spouse among the Democrats and was
opposed by Senator Poindexter and other
Republicans For the most part the
plan OF the House Democrats TO eccno-
mizc az the expense OF the navy was
abandoned cheorfully by tho Democratic
Senators.
Senator Johnston proposed a substi-
tute provision for one battleship. and
gave notice he would propose when the
Panama Canal administration bin rs con-
sidercd 10 den the use Of the canal -
AN nations which do not agree To- build
only one hattloship a year. He said the
United States should end the wastef1l
battleship competition with europe by
entering INT. treaties with them 10 cease
building such vessels. The Johnston
one-battleship provision was rejected. l.
20 g.. Senator's Bacon. Fletcher John
ston. Kern pomercne. Smith. ~ Arizona,
TWman md Williams Democrats. and
Bristow Burton. Clapp and Gronna Re
pubiicans) voted Tor a.
An amendment WAS adopted 10 make
tine recently enacted eight hour law ap-
plicable 10 work ON new ships which
Senators Gallinser and Hepburn con-
tended would increase the government
expense by s4.0O0.000 or $4,000. 600 4
committee amendment 10 provide for tho
creation of national council for defence
was defeated on "a point Of order made
b. Senator Ovorman. of North Carolina
GemocraD. who did not withdraw hts
point. notwithstanding whispered 9ug-
gestion that the plan was indorsed by
the new Democratic platform. Senator
Bacon. Of Georgia DemocraD. In the
chair, sustained the point OF order
u is predicted that the House will ac-
cept the two battleship amendment.
many OF the Democratic members hay
ing changed their minds since the caucus.
in which they declared against any lat
tleshps at all.
The naval appropriation bill rs passed
by the Senate dav carries $3.50. 600 100.
an increase Of $4,000. 600 over the House
bill. I'm addition to the two battleships
the Senate bill provides for the construc-
ton Of eight instead Of four submarines.
The Senate committee amendment
providing for the establishment Of the
grades of admiral for the commanders
in CHER of The Atlantic and Pacific 1eets
and vice-admiral for the officers next in
command was eliminated from the bill
on q point of order raised by Senator
Bristow. who was among those voting
against the two battleships
The naval appropriation bill now goes
to conference with the House to thrash
out the naval increase programme and
other Senate amendments.