New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-07
PARTY SPLIT WIDENING
SINGER and Other Advocates of
More Vessels Condemn
Breach of Faith-Har-
mony Plea Fails.
from The Tribune Bureau. ?

III
saiority to hold a fourth caucus on
no naval programe.
n accordance with the prearranged
,lan of those who are opposed 10 the
,uthorization Of any battleships at this
sssion Of Congress. only eighty-seven
osnocrats answered to their names
men the caucus convened at s o'clock
n.niSht. This number was twenty
even less than a quorum, and for more
IAN an hour those present awaited the
arrival of the dodgers. The fourth bat
,lsship caucus finally adjourned With
S1t any action whatever.
IN order 10 put on record the Demo
rats who remained away. the friends
n +hs navy" asked for a call Of the
,,u The understanding. according to
representative Sulzer and others who
arc leading the fight for one or more
,n,ns was that this rollcall should be
stven TO the press.
Breach Of Faith Alleged,
When the caucus adjourned. how
eyer. Representative Burleson, the
caucus chairman, declined TO make
nblic the rollcall or any OF the pro-
,sedings, on the ground that since no
uorum was present there had been
| N caucus. When Mr.. Sulzer and his
supporters learned Of this alleged
breach of faith they did not mince
.ords in condemning such tactics. Mr..
alser said:
The understanding was that the roll
81 should be made public, and its sup
rssion is unjustifiable. During the
roceedings tonight Representative
sumphries. OF Mississippi. specifically
ssed if the rollcall would be given to
Il. press. He was assured by the eau
IA chairman that tho rollcall would hc
VALUABLE The later refusal 10 make
mblic this rollcall will do the enemies
! the navy no good In the end
4 Repre- sentative Curley, OF Massachu-
ats. corroborated Mr.. Suffers state
\ -ent tn6H an d6ItSllithN ~ h''+N
lie rollcall was reached
| representative Burleson. after CON
lgence with Representative A. Mitchell
Palmer, Of Pennsylvania, Instructed the
xistant clerk of the caucus to with
l 6d the rollcall. on the theory tha'
Il here was no quorum and that conse-
uently there could be no journal OF
n. proceedings. This technical view
utspleased the battleship advocates
mo caused the roll 10 be called. and
n.cia,,v 10 make public the names
sthose Democrats who absented them
sizes from the widely advertised eau
la
While the caucus awaited a quorum
s.aker Clark. Representative Under
sod, Representative Hobson and
rhsrs spoke by unanimous consent"
! both Mr.. Clark and Mr.. Underwood
us.d harmony, and suggested that the
I HOUSE agree TO one battleship, ex-
/ rsssrg the belief that the Senate
would agree to this compromise.
The party has been harmonious
heretofore" said Speaker Clark, ac-
cording to those who heard him, and
We should not allow tho battleshlp
issue 10 mar this harmonious feeling
since the question Of the increase OF
the navy Is not strictly party issue"
Clark for One BsttIeship.
I Mr.. Clark said he favored compro-
mise on one new Dreadnought, although
be voted two weeks ago against the
Sulzer resolution 10 rescind the action
et the three former caucuses.
Despite the conciliatory speeches OF
he Democratic leaders. II is recognized
Ig all members OF the party that the
s,tleship fight is fraught with danger
10 Democratic harmony. IT was re-
ported during the day that a quie'
aoven.p+ was on foot 70 have the
,rtt-battleships" partisans absent
Themselves from to-night's council IT
sder 70 break a quorum. Mr.. Sulzer
ad those who have signed the petit
ton circulated by him for a fourth
.su:us insisted, however, that extreme
a1ion OF this sort would not be coun-
financed by those who honestly OPP
Iossd the authorization of battleshlps
sad that the issue would be clean cut
aa full party gathering tonight.
When the hour for converting the
sucus arrived there was no quorum
ard after a long wait the friends OF
"a. navy" left the House chambers III
bad temper. The refusal OF Mr.
Ssftson to make public the rollcall
0lowed the adjournment. There is
aasOutely nothing to give out" said
Burleson, taking from the HANDS
the assistant secretary the rollcail
ach the latter was offering to
asnber Of the press.
To Call Fifth Caucus.
Il is estimated that three-fourths oil
's Democrats present tonight were
'syor either Of the compromise plan
one battleship or Of the Sulzer res
+'tion resembling the action of the
rner caucusses and permitting eacr
snocrat TO vote as his conscience
Ntates when the conference report OF
e naval bill is presented to th'
'srse. Advocates Of an adequate navy
VI begin tomorrow the circulation o.
petition 10 call NTH caucus OF
!" battleships programme. Privately
Danocrsts express the opinion 10
1 "itnt that the party is making q