The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-10
BATTLESH|PS ARE SNAGFOR THE PARTY Republicans Are Playing
 Upon Sulzer COMPROMISE SOUGHT Generally Believed That an Agree
Generally Believed That an Agree ment Will Ultimately Be Reached Providing for One Battle
 ship This Year
By c. E. STEWART

battleship fight, which has developed into a rather peeyish affair, has been conduct ed mainly by Representative William Sul- ger of New York.
 Representative sulzer, who looks like q composite picture of Henry Clay and the flag stan on the capitol, and admits it, wants two battleships so much that he dreams of nothing else; he talks noth- ing else, and he has to a certain degree worked up a spirit of insurgency among the democrats in the House in favor of two ships.
 Inasmuch as the Senate declared for two ships, the republicans in the House see the opportunity to embarrass the dem ocrats in the coming campaign. They are playing on Sulzer like a flute, and encour- aging him to make his fight, and defy the caucus, and they will support him.
 It Is declared that the two battleship programme is very popular in New York and that Sulzer is playing that end of the string for all it is worth, while the idea of running for governor of the Empire State. The leaders think, however, that compromise on one ship will finally be agreed to.
 The Senate, it is said, will agree to a compromise of the matter, and in this manner they will end the fight which the republican papers cheerfuly point out as split In the democratic party
 Democrats in the House who favor no battleships at all take the position that it is important to bring the rest of the ravy up to the standard and in propor- tion to our present batteship strength first, and that such a programme is really in keeping with the democratic declara- ton of 'an adequate navy
 They say that we have more battleships now than we have officers and men to handle them, and colliers and auxiliary boats to round out the navy strength on regular war footing. They have made appropriations to remedy this defect and are willing to make more, if necessary, so that the fighting ships that we have will be efficient and fully manned in case of war
 What Is the use.'' they say, "of having ba tteships if they cannot be put into commission in case of war, because we have no coliers and docks and all those things that go with a navy to make it enc great unit of defense or offense, as the case may be?
 Tt is far better" they declare. 'to bring our present navy up to adequate and proportionate strength in all depart uents, rather than continue the construc- tion of battleships. merely for the sake of saying we have so many battleships and thereby making the whole system top heavy and ineffective"
 To all of which, Sulzer simply runs his bcny fingers through his long and flowing niane and blandly reaffirms his uncom- promising allegiance to the undying cause of two battleships now, tomorrow and forever.
 With the battleship question amicably settled, as the leaders predict it will be- other legislation was rushed through the House and the Senate this week and sent to the President.
 And then, all the nominations for Pres ident and vice president having been made, and all the candidates having been notified, there will be nothing to do but watch the moving pictures" of the com ing campaign. campaign which will be the most spectacular and uniuue in the history of the country, and more preg- nant with possibilities
 The news of the success of the bull moose party in Kansas in the primaries has thrown great gloom over the White House. and put a crimp in the statement of Chairman EIilles that Roosevelt would lun a poor third in the coming cam paign, declare the advocates of the third termer in this city.
 Betting in New York of two to one on Wilson by the brokers is much discussed in connection with the individual races that the different republican congressman are personally interested in their various districts. and has rather created a panic among them, and spurs their desire to get away from Washington as soon as possible.
 II is all right for Taft or Roosevelt to get beat but when it comes right down to 'home and mother 1t is a far differ ent proposition, and they want to get away from here and see where they stand
 It is believed that the session of Con- sress following the 4th of next March will be participated in by more new than possibly any session for the past ten years.
 This is true Of the House and also the Senate. Many senators now in the Sen ate have already been beaten or will re- tire, and many who are to be elected are pretty sure to get defeated, and the per sonnel of the rext Senate will be vastly from the present and new blood will be greatly in evidence.