The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-02-07
WILL FIGHT AGAINST
PROPOSITION FOR
TWO BATTLESH|PS
BURNETT AND SHERWOOD OF
KENTUCKY CALL ECONOMY
CAUCUS.
KEEP NAVY OUT OF POLITICS


Public Buildings a Greater Necessity
! Than War Ships contention-one
Battleship Is Assured as Com
promise Measure.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.-Repre.
sentative John l.. Burnett, of Ala
bama, who will soon report a 1922,
100000 Public Building Bill, and
Representative Isaac r. Sherwood
of Ohio, author of the bill passed at
the last session that added approXi
mately $5O,OO0,O0O a year to the pen
sion budget, are responsible for a
notice issued to-day asking the
Democratic members of the House to
meet in an economy caucus" They
argue seriously that appropriations
are counting up to enormous figures
and that it is time to call a halt
| They are preaching economy at this
time with view to defeating, if pos
| sible, the incorporation of an amend.
| ment in the Naval Bill authorizing
the construction of two batleships.
Despite the efforts of the Demo
cratic leaders to keep the navy out
of politics the battleship programme
is again to be subjected to a rarity
caucus.
While the machinery set in motion
by Representatives Burnett and
Sherwood may upset the plans Of
the Naval Committee 10 provide for
two battleships, the humor of the
situation Is not lost on the House
membership. At the last session Of
Congress Mr.. Burnett raised u cry
against any addition to the battle
ship fleet.
He insisted that what the country
needed was public buildings, and he
expressed alarm over the extrava.
CANT notions of those who wanted
to build up the navy A caucus was
held and, much to the chagrin of
some of the leaders, the party was
placed on record in Opposition to
battleships. Public sentiment around
the Senate forced the House Demo
Gratis to recede from this position,
and they agreed to one vessel The
leaders announced at the time that
never again would they permit the
navy to be made the football of poll
tics in party caucus. They express
ed alarm to-day when they learned
that Representative Burnett and
Sherwood, the economy twins" had
circulated a petition for caucus
that would be used for the purpose
of attempting to knock out battle
ships
Despite the activities of the Small
navy" members led by Mr.. Burnett
and Mr.. Sherwood the House Naval
Committee is going ahead with its
work. The battleship programme
y'ill come up for a vote in commit
tee later.
Present indications are that the
comittee will vote in favor Of two
dreadnoughts If in the meantime the
Democratic caucus does not pass
resolution to the contrary.
The date Of the ECONOMY caucus"
has not been fixed, but it will dorbt-
less be held some time this week
Sentiment for an authorization for
two battleships hhas been growing
in committee and in the House gen.
orally for many weeks. This came
to the knowledge Of Mr.. Burnett and
Mr. Sherwood, who forthwith got
busy.
1t is frankly admitted by members
of the Naval Committee that the
economy twins" may be able to de-
feat the two batleship programme.
One batleship is assured whatever
happens, but disappointment is ex-
pressed by the naval members that
another controversy over navy ex-
tension should have been precipitat-
ed at time when it semed certain
that Congress was disposed to re-
adopt the policy of building two bat
tleships a year.
CTnrV nAlH rEn