The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-08
Lineup Changes and SEN
ate Committee Dead
locked
REED AND O'GORMAN
JOIN DEMOCRATS
Committee Votes to Reconsider De-
cision Which Cuts Down Number
of Regional Banks in the
Proposed System

Washington. November IA shift in
the lineup on the currency bill today
strengthened the position of the admins
tration forces, but left the Senate COM
mittee in temporary deadlock. Sena-
tors Reed and OGorman. who have been
opposing administration proposals in the
committee, rejoined the democrats, and
the committee voted to reconsider the de-
number of regional banks in the proposed
new system
Senator Crawford (repnblican voted
with the edmocrats to reconsider, but a
discussion which at times waxed warm
and which laste dali afternoon. failed to
and which lasted all afternoon to fix the
number of banks at seven. senator Craw-
ford said he had voted to reconsider
solely as a matter of courtesy. lie made
it clear that he would not support a
resolution to increase the nuraber. Sena-
tor Hitchcock made it plain that he would
not swing into line with the other demo-
Gratis, and with six to six tie in pros
pect the administration forces avoided a
vote
The administration senators succeeded
today in voting to retain the Secretary
of Treasury on the proposed federal re-
serve board The reading of the bill was
begun and number of minor proposals
were passed upon. The committee voted
down a proposal to force double LA
bility similar to that of present national
bank stockholders, on the stock of the
proposed regional banks.
One Section Changed
The section of the present bill which
would force all national banks into the
system under penalty of losing their
charters within year was changed. Ma
uonal banks under the amendment. would
| be required to signify their intention of
entering the system within 60 days. Banks
which at present are reserve agents and
| which fail to enter the new system within
80 days would forfeit their reserve agen-
| cies.
The committee voted down proposal
| by Senator Crawford to allow the re-
sional banks to be created. TO do a gen
eraI commercial banking business.
| With the committee hard at work, but
| tied up on the fundamentals of the bill,
| the movement for caucus of democratic
+, senators gained momentum today petit
| t1On was clTculdleu CtHBlo1S ASuuTSl
of Arizona and MARITIME of New Jersey,
calling for conference on the currency
question generally. No detailed direc-
tons were included in the call. It was
| understood that the real subject of the
caucus and Its scope in relation to the
work of the committee would be decided
after 1t met
Did Not Call Conference
Administration senator's, including Sem
ator Owen, declared they had taken no
part in starting the call for a conference,
and 1t was stated that the admiinstra-
| ton was not behind the call.
| Senator Kern, chairman of the demo-
cratic caucus to whom the call Is direct
| ed, left Washington today. lie will not
return until Monday and the call will be
presented to him then.
Talk of rather bitter feeling among
committee members and reported heated
outbursts during the sessions, cropped up
| today. 1t was asserted one member of
| the committee on the democratic side
had threatened to leave the committee
room and refuse to participate In the de-
| 1iberations after Chairman Owen had
| made a, speech urging support for ad-
| ministration proposals.