Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-03
BATTLE IN SENATE
FiIibuster Started Against
Public Buildings Measure.
FIGHT is FOR DISTRICT
Desired That Some of Local Projects
Be Cared For.
LODGE AND ROOT DETERMINED
Unusual Methods Employed-Ar-
mory, Red Cross Building and
Rock Creek Project at Stake.
LODGE AND ROOT DETERMINED

A well defined filbuster was started in
the Senate this afternoon against the
passage OF the public buildings bill with
out at least some OF the provisions fof
District projects inserted in the bill 10y
the Senate.
ut might as we'll be understood" said
Senator Lodge. who with Senator Root
is the active factor behind the filibuster.
that the public buildings bill will not
be passed without. at least. provision for
the purchase of the lower valley of Rock
Greek and the provision for the New
York courthouse site.
The issue came when Senator Suthcr-
land. head Of the conferees on the pubic
buildings bill, presented Il partial con-
ference report showing that there are still
dsagreements in conference on four
items-three District projects and one
New York. Senators Lodge, Root and
others regard these four as of great inn
portance. and are DESTROYS that the bill
shall be sent back to conference in a
further effort to secure some of them.
Moves to Save Bill.
But Senator Swanson whose amend
ment for a memorial bridge across the
Potomac river has been provided for in
compromise looking to the preparation o.
plans for the bridge. moved that, to save
the bill. and the bridge project I'm particu-
lar. the Senate recede from the four items
still in disagreement. Unless that mo
ton Is Withdrawn and the public build
ings bill sent back to conference, 1t Is ex-
pected the fllibuster will continue.
The methods employed by the filibust-
err are unique. The hackers are ask
ing for separate votes and separate ex-
plantations of each item in each confer
ence. and those items are numbered by
the thousands
Causes Of Disagreement.
The four propositions causing dis
agreement are the propositions to build
an armory for the District at a cost OF
s1.750.000, to erect here a headquarters
building for the American Red Cross II
a cost to the United States Of 100000.
to acquire the lower valley of Rock
creek at a cost Of 100000 and to pur-
chase site for new courthouse In
New York city at cost OF 100000
Agreement has been reached on all the
other times I'm the bill and, for the most
part. the House yielded to the Senate
IT can only speculate as TO what may
happen to the four items still In disagree
ment,' said Senator Sutherland, I'm pre-
senting the partial conference report TO
the Senate this afternoon. THE House
conferees have indicated that they might
accept the Red Cross building item. but
have manifested no Willingness to accept
any OF the other projects. The Senate
conferees have indicated a willingness
to give up the armory project and the
New York courthouse site, retaining the
Rock Creek Park and Red Cross items
After making this explanation Senator
Sutherland moved that the Senate agree
to the partial conference report and that
1t further insist upon its amendments still
in disagreement
Swanson's Objections.
Senator Swanson of Virginia objected to
that arrangement. He is unwilling to
see the bill fail just to get some few items
in II, he said.
II move that the Senate recede from
the four items still i'm disagreement"
he said.
That put the issue squarely up to
the Senate to determine whether or
not the three projects of great I'm
portance to the District and the one
project for New York city should he
sacrificed now for the sake of the bill.
What is the chance of an agreement
on the items still at issue?" Senator
was asked. His reply was
that he did not know, beyond what he
had already indicated.
The Swanson motion started a
wrangling debate that involved many
items covered Dy the partial CONFER
ence report and the others of special
interest to the District.
Public Buildings Bill.
The partial agreement on the public
buildings bill provided for the prepara-
ton OF plans and specifications for a me-
mortal bridge across the Potomac river.
To supervise the work there is to be a
composed OF the President OF
the United States, the Vice President.
the Speaker of the House and the chair
men of the Senate and House commit
tees on public buildings and grounds. The
of $4,000 for the preparation
Of plans IS authorized. This provision is
believed to commit Congress to the con
summa ton of the project I'm the future.
The House yielded to the Senate on the
amendment that authorized the construc-
ton of the George Washington Me
mortal Hall on the site of the old Penn
sylvania station. The House conferees
also granted to the Senate it's provision
for the preparation of plans for the ma
tional archives building. The Senate's
provision contemplates q much larger
structure than the House Item. The site
Is not fixed, but it is to be convenient to
the several government departments.
Compromise Is Reached.
Upon what is known as the Kern
amendment the cOD1eEeeS duOpteu u
The amendment pro-
posed that no public building should
be erected in a city where the postal
receipts do not exceed $4,000. The
modified provision would make this
imitation provide only to future public
buildings and would allow sites to be
acquired for public buildings in towns
where the postal receipts do not ex-
,eed $4,000.
AS in the case Of the public buildings
,ill the sundry civil appropriation bill has
lot been agreed to by the conferees. be-
,ause of several District items and of
others involving big appropriations. ac-
,ording to a partial conference report sub
nNted to the Senate this afternoon by
Chairman Warren Of the Senate appro-
,riations committee.
Points of Contention.
Among the amendments still in dis
agreement are those locating the new
Department of State building on the
Nall in line with the National Museum
building and between 18th and 18th
streets, fixing the plan for charging
he Zoo Park. proposing to purchase at
,nce all the land between the Capitol
grounds and the Union station plaza in
stead of acquiring 1t year by year. pro
riding for the starting OF the construc-
ion of new Columbia Hospital for
and appropriating Sl.500.Oo0
or the San Francisco Panama eXposi-
ion.
A motion Of Senator Warren that the