Evening star., 1915-02-04
DEMOCRATS FACE
SHIP BILL DEFEAT
Senate Leaders Trying to
Prevent Vote on Motion to
Recommit Measure.
FILIBUSTER OF FOUR OR
FIVE DAYS is POSSIBLE
Return Of Newlands and Smith
Awaited-Republican Opponents
Becoming More Confident.

minIstration ship purchase bill staring
them in the face If the Clarke motion
to recommit the bill is allowed to come
to a vote, democratic leaders OF the
Senate today determined to prevent
vote on the measure, if possible, until
all the democratic members OF the
Senate can be in Washington to vote.
Such a decision may mean a demo-
cratic filibuster to prevent vote last
ing four or FIVE days. Senator New
lands of Nevada and Senator Smith OF
South Carolina are the absent demo-
Gratis, and neither is. paired with a re-
publican. Senator Newlands Is IN
southern California suffering from
nervous brea kdown, and Senator smith
,s in South Carolina at the bedside OF
his wife.
The vote stands today Al to 4S in favor
Of recommitting the bill on the Clarke
motion II that motion is carried the
bill will die In committee. Should the
republicans and democrats potn De aus
to muster their full strength the Voee
will stand 4S to 4s. The vote OF the
Vice President. in case OF tie: VIII
carry a motion to recommit with IN,
structions that the bill be ar ended ana
reported back to the senate lmineu,-
ately The amendment must be MADE
to obtain two republican progressive
votes.
Following a conference with demo-
cratic leaders in Senator Maruns Once
this morning it was announced that
no vote would be taken today. rms
statement is understood to mean tnat
the democrats have determined to fli-
buster until Senators Newlands ana
smith have reached Washington.
Republican Opponents Confident.
The republican opponents of the ship
bill are more and more satisfied that
| the measure is dead. They figure that
| it will be February or 10 before the
democrats can hope to get motion on
| the vote to recommit which will be
satisfactory to them. They figure, too.
! that even if the bill be reported out in
| shape which will win enough votes
Ito pass it they can talk it to death De-
! tween that time and March T.
The administration leaders are lead
| ing no stones unturned, however. which
might lead to a change in the nne-
up in their favor. Pressure Is oelne
| brought to bear upon all senators VINO
ght be persuaded TO vote ior .he
| It was stated this afternoon that the
democratic leaders had been notineo
Senator Newlands would he apie 10
reach Washington by Monday, and that
| he was on his way already. One of the
| democratic leaders said the present IN
/ tention was to wait until Senator New,
lands and senator Smith reached
| washington before allowing vote on
the Clarke motion to recommit. ne
asserted. however, that this decision
might be changed before Monday.
u Situation Shifts Slightly.
| The situation with regard to the vote
! on the Clarke motion shifted silehty
1 TODAY with the return to the city of Sena-
tor Lewis (democra) and Senator Fall
of New Mexico. The advantage con-
tinued. however, with the republicans
Senator Penrose (republican) also was
expected to return before the day is over.
| The vote standing today, Al to 46 in
| favor of recommitting the ship bill
! without instructions, as provided in
the Clarke amendment. does not In
clude the vote of Senator PenroSe- II
| his vote is counted, it would be ~ to
| as in favor of the motion to recommit.
| Seven democrats are counted voting for
it, Senators La Toilette and Norris
Senator Norris. however. is only to be
counted as in favor of recommitting
with instructions to amend the bill
and report back to the Senate imme-
diately.
For recommittins without instruc-
tions-Senators Borah, Brady, Brande-
gee, Br1StOW. buIleiSi, Dur ION, Sdtfoli.
CIapp, Clark of Wyoming. Colt Craw-
ford, Cummins, Diliingham, du Pont.
Kenyon. Lippitt. Lodge. McCumber,
Mclean. Nelson. oliver. Page. Perkins,
Root, Sherman, Smith Of Michigan,
Smoot, Stephenson. Sterling.> Suther
land, Townsend, Warren, Weeks and
Works. republicans; Bankhead. Camden.
Clarke of Arkansas, Hardwick, Hitch
cock. OGorman and Vardaman, demo-
Gratis; Poindexter. progressive-47.
For recommitting the bill with in
structions-Arsurst. Bryan, Chamber
lain. Chiffon. Culberson. Fletcher. Gore.
Hollis. Hughes. James. johnson. Kern.
Lane. Lea Of Tennessee. Lee OF Mary
land, Lewis, Martin. MARITIME. Myers.
Overman, owen. Pittman. Pomerene.
Ransdell. Reed. Robinson. Salisbury.
Shafroth, Sheppard, Shields. Shively.
Simmons, Smith of Arizona, Smith of
Georgia. Smith of Maryland. Stone.
Swanson. Thomas, Thompson. Thorn
ton, Tillman, Walsh. White and Will
liams, democrats; La Toilette. Norris.
repubIicans-46.