New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-21
CONGRESS RUSHES
WAR RISK BILL
New York Business Men
Say 300 Ships Are
Waiting.
PLAN FOR $25,000,00O
u. S. FLEET OPPOSED
State Department Counsellor
Fears international Com
plicatiOns.

From Tho Tribune Bureau
Washington. Aug. 20 The war risk
Insurance bin was reported to the Sen
ate to-day by Senator CLARK. and will
be called mp for consideration to-mor-
row and probably passed. Few changes
were made iu the measure By the Com
merce Committee The salary Of the
director of the proposed bureau was
cut from $4,000 to $4,000. and all en-
ployes receiving less than $1,000 were
placed under civil service.
Seth Low. +. II. Outerbrdge, Hamlin
rhubb and other representatives. Of the
committee of business men who cooper
atcd with the administration in fran
ing the legislation. urged the members
of the Senate committee 90 pass the
measure with as little delay as possible.
They said that three hundred ships un-
der foreign flags would register as
American vessels If the insurance were
provided.
After hearing al which Majority
Leader Underwood appeared IN favor OF
the measure. the House Committee on
Interstate and Foreign Commerce also
reported the war risk insurance Dill
to-day. Representative Stevenson,
.ankinc Republican on the committee,
and several Democrats reserved the
right to offer amendments on the floor,
contending that the measure had been
hastily considered and that lntorma-
ton offered in behalf Of such i'm
portant legislation was inadequate.
Emergency Measure Only.
REPRESENTATIVE Underwood said 1t
was purely an emergency measure and
was not intended to embark the govern
ment permanently on policy Of lnsur-
ing vessels and their cargoes.
Seth Low and other business men
who appeared before the Senate COM
mittee later urged the legislation be
fore the House committee. The House
bill went on the calendar, but II IS pro-
posed that when the bill comes over
from the Senate a motion will be made
70 take it from the Speakers table and
thus insure early passage.
Opposition developed among House
Democrats 70 the proposal 20 spend
S25.OOO00 for ships to be operated by
the government, and there is an under
current of feeling in legislative circles
that private capital should be employed
i'm view of the fact that the reglstra-
ton has been liberalized and the gov
eminent is 10 extend further ard by IN
surfing American vessels and cargoeS
against war risks.
REPRESENTATIVE Alexander was fur
nished a rough draft of the proposed
administration bill to-day by the Treas
ury Department. but IL was not intro
duced. II is believed it will be intro
duced and reported in the House, and
with the President behind 1t the
chances are good for its passage. Its
prospects in the Senate are more PROP
iematical.
Fear European Opposition.
The Naval Affairs subcommittee con-
sidcring various similar bills to-day
heard Robert Lansing, counsellor TOR
the State Department, on the question
of international complications which
NAV arise If this government attempts
TO operate ships between American
shores and the ports OF Europe. AT
an executive session Mr.. Lansing gave
the impression among committee mem
bers that this legislation probably
would involve violation Of the neutral
ity laws.
il is probable that the committee, II II
reports any of the bills now before IL
70 buv or construct naval auXlllarles
70 be used as passenger ana lrelghI
vessels. will recommend that the lines
extend only between the ports OF TINS
country and South America.
Nevertheless President Wilson told
callers he saw no ground for objections
bv foreign governments 20 the pur-
chase of vessels by the United States
for carving American products abroad
Efforts of Republican Senators 70
hiring about an agreement with the
majority leaders for the adjournment
Of Congress were unavailing to-day.
The sweltering heat which has engulfed
the capital lit was 40 In Washington
TODAY did not hasten legislation.
Democratic leaders predict now that
there will be no adjournment
Consuls to Aid Ship Transfers.
Plans for the guidance of foreign
+ shipowners who wish 70 put their yes
sells under American registry were dis
cussed to-day at a conference between
Assistant Secretary Of the Treasury
Peters, Commissioner Of Navigation
Chamberlain, J. A. Farrell, of the
f United States Steel Corporation; Ber-
nard ~ Baker, of Baltimore, and rep
resentatives of the State Department.
Under the act just passed by Con-
gress foreign vessels can come under
American registry in American ports
by a simple process through the GUS
toms collectors In foreign ports,
I however. it is necessary to provide
machinery for legal transfer Of
reOistrv II was tentatively decided