The Washington times., 1913-07-26
SUSPEND WARFARE
ON CURRENCY BILL
Democrats Have Respite and
Expect to Renew Consider
alton Monday Afternoon.

The wrangling Democratic members
of the House Banking and Currency
Committee are having a respite today
and will resume their conference Mon
day afternoon with. the hope OF a
more amicabIe meeting than that held
late yesterday. The yesterday after
noon session of the Democrats was a
squally one, and personalities rather
than details of the currency bill en-
gagged the warning factions.
No progress whatever was made on
the bill and. despite the optimism Of
the White House, there is a general
feeling at the Capitol that the Ad-
ministration measure is in bad way.
At the conference yesterday a mo-
tion to expedite things and report the
bill to a caucus forthwith was over
whelmingly defeated This motion was
made by Congressman wingo, hither-
to insurgent, who had just returned
from a suddenly called White House
conference. The impression among
certain members of the committee was
that Mr.. wingo had been persuaded"
by the President TO speed up cur
rency legislation, but the attempt
failed.
The action OF the conference in re-
fusing to set a day certain for the re-
port of the bill is an indirect rejection
of the Presidents plan for early caucus
action, and il also indicates the Demo
cratic talkfest is to continue in COM
mittee.
Amendments To Be Taken Up.
1t was agreed that the ''insurgent"
Henry-RagsdaIe amendments shall be
taken up in the conference at o'clock
Monday.
The Glass -Ragsdale set-to was one of
the enlivening features of the confer
ence yesterday, and II was followed by
q three-cornered exchange Of personah-
ties among Congressman Buckley, kor-
bly,, and Wilson. The net result of the
conference was bad feeling and an hour
of stormy debate which did not bulge
the currency bill from its standstill
position.
Mr.. wingo first proposed to report out
the bill Immediately in its present
shape. The motion was Overwhelmingly
defeated. Then he moved to report the
bill favorably TO a caucus to be called
for Monday, August 4, with such amend
ments as may be agreed upon In the
interim Mr.. Ragsdale moved to report
the bill on that date without recon-
mendation," throwing the fight into the
caucus Mr.. Weaver proposed TO table
both the Wingo and Ragsdale motions
and they were tabled, thus demonstrate
ing that there is to be at least another
n.,lr NJ rITrQ eli
1t was agreed that when the confer
ence is resumed Monday the Henry
Ragsdale amendments. the latest bone
of contention. shall be taken up and
eventually voted upon. Q
While the conference proceeded un-
harmonIously Mr.. Ragsdale left the
committee room and came right back
again with a copy OF the Lynchburg
News, published by Chairman Glass.
There was little Washington date line
Naterview in the paper quoting Mr..
Glass ss saying that the situation In
committee was practically hopeless,
with an Indirect slap at the disturbing
Ragsdale amendments. -
Ragsdale Asks Explanation.
Mr.. Ragsdale wanted to know why
the chairman sought to place upon him
the blame of the currency mixup. Are
ycu trying to get me in bad in my dis
trict?" asked Ragsdale, in substance.
Mr.. Glass went up in the air." angrily
denied that he had said the things at
tributed to him in his own paper;
threatened to wire the managing editor
not to use any more press association
reports of what ranspired in the COM
uittee and concluded by paying his re-
spects 10 the insurgent tendencies of
MIR Ragsdale. The latter refused to
become excited and trouble was averted.
As he left the committee room, Mr..
Glass was brandishing his arms and
asserting he would not stand for such
trsolence from him or any other mem
Der of the com mittee."
The chairman took an afternoon train
for his newspaper plant and prooaoly
will assume personal supervision of the
currency story appearing in the Lynch
The Bulkley- -Korbly-Wilson episode
followed the interruption Of Mr. Bulk
ley's speech by Mr. Korblcy, who took
the floor and began to speak himself.
BuIkley For Peace.
Mr. Bulkley wanted to know If 1t
isn't possible for members Of the COM
nIttee to be more courteous" to one
another. Mr.. Korbly said he meant no
discourtesy. whereupon Mr.. Wilson took
notice and demanded to know IL Bulk
ley meant that he, Wilson. was dis
courteous. He had never been so called
in his life, and didn't intend to be,
Is the reported burden Of the Wilson re-
buke. Other members smoothed over
the row, but the discord cropped out
here and there about the committee
table until an adjournment finally was
taken.
The temper OF the conservatives on
the committee was not improved when
II was learned that Mr.. Ragsdale is
alated for a talk with the President
Monday morning. and he wanted a
oostpoiiement of the consideration Of
ais Amendments for this reason. The
frequent conferences between the
President and the insurgents are de-
clared by certain conservatives to be
hInderinE rather than helping the prog
ress Of the measure, the theory being
that the President. attempting to act
as peacemaker, really draws attention
to an opposition which might die Of it.