The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1914-12-22
WAR Of WORDS
IN The HOUSE
PUBLIC HEARINGS BEFORE
COMMITTEE END ABRUPT.
LY
MEETING ENDS
IN AN UPROAR
The Committee Will Meet Mon
day to Complete Naval APP
preparation Bill.
tBy A-soc,alcl Ii,>..J

WV" iVp'cs"ututINe GlFuEtT, Ol
Massachusetts,. Il witness. demanded
that committee members say whether
they questioned data he had submit,
ted to prove the nations military un-
preparedness.
Mr.. Gardncr's insistcncc so anger
cd representative Withprspoon, of
mississippi. that lic quit the commit,
tee room. a series Of questions pu;
Immediately afterwards by Ecprcscn-
ialivc Gray. OF Indiana. arouacd Mr..
Gardner'S resentment and the meet
INK broke up abruptly.
Representative Gardner vigorously
resented what he said was an impu.
inti0n that itia cnmpaign for invcsti-
Rutlon or Tho military situation was
In tho Interest OF manufacturers of
war materials. lie called upon Mr..
Gray. who was questioning him, 10
get up and prove his facts" but the
lattcc. had nothing further to sey, and
tho chairman declared the ,.earine
ended.
TO complete tho naval appropriation
bill. the plan being to report it, II
possible. before the holidays.
Mr.. Gardncrs statements today
were based largely OIL tho testimony
of the almirals and others before tho
committee. and reports OF the. navy
general board. The war of words
camc after the witness had finished
tho statement and submitted 10 a long
cross examination. MIR. Gardner said
he did not want his statements chat-
lengcd' later In congress and sought
an Immediate expression from the
committee members.
Representative WGtherspoon declar-
ed sharply that the request ,gas "out-
rageoua." R.tA;s.h
II move that the hearings be clos
ed," said ~thesTMississippi representa-
tive. Il am tired Of this outrage"
Chairman ,Padgett asked. him ;. to
withdraw shn motion but he persisted,
and when Mr.. Gardner renewed Ills
request for an expression OF opinion.
left the room.
mercantile organizations over tho
country?" asked Mr.. Gray when quiet
had been restored. ..
hired n man to send out print
ed letter to every chamber of COM
merce in the land, telling them to
bring 1t before the meeting. and on
closing copy of my. speech. In the
South. particularly North Carolina,
several OF them did not approve of
It,"
How many OF these letters did
you writer"
: II do not know. gave It to one
OF these publicity fellows"
what organizations did you Gnu
ploy for that purnoso?' persisted
Mr.. Gray
do you mean to. say Am | in al
ilance with the manufacturers OF ma
teriai2' am paying every cent my
selfp 90
Didn't you write letters to those
organizations asking them to write to
their senators and congressman"
DO you assert that l did?" shout.
cd Mr.. Gardner.
II don't assert anything" replied
Mr.. Gray. =
Mr.. Gardner read n newspaper mr.
ticlo which said IL was intimnted at
the White House that the movement
camo from people allied with pro-
ducers OF war materials.
Now" hc said. II am tired Of. this
kind OF talk. If any admiral or gen
eral tells the country what you need
and ought to get. You say You'd
rascal. you are trying to raise your.
standing by advocating this thingr
Then II eny private citizen gets up
they say. You are bought by the man
who has material for SALE II any
congressman gets up you say, That Is
politIcs.' I'm tired of 1t. Get up,
MIR. Gray, and prove your facts"
a"I have nothing further to- say"
replied Mr.. Gray.
"Then." said Mr.. Gardner. "f am
through. unless there Is somebody
who has something to say"
Representative Gardner read long
statement in support of his proposal
for investigation Of the national de-
fensI3. by d special commission. ear
lier In the session. -
II am here to ask you to appropri-.
ate for the full number of new ships
recommended by the general naval
board for this years construction"
he said. !lIr,t
"I'am sorry to say" continued Mr..
Gardner. chat Secretary Daniels In
his recommendations to congress had
cut the naVal boards building pro-
gram fer this year alomst exactly In
two. ,s SysS !. Y u ,,,.' J s. 4 I .s. \ :
aIf you gentleman had permitted
mo to .nrasant gas witnesses few
recently retired officers,. in: a / single
day, the country. swould have, learned,
oeg our deDlented policy OF building;
1warships for cold storage, Out of