Evening star., 1915-02-11

the post Office committee, and one of
! the seven democrats who have opposed
I the ship bill in its present form. 1t is
believed such a motion would prevail
since Senator Norris and Senator Ken
yon, the republican progressives, have
announced that they were in favor of
going ahead with other legislation than
the ship bill during the remainder of
the present session of Congress.
That continuous sessions of the Sem
ate, lasting all night, were thing of the
past was emphatically stated today by
| various senator's who voted last night
! for adjournment, which brought to
close the longest continuous session ever
| held by the Senate.
Would Kill Temporary Bill
| If the President should agree to some
temporary measure, which might be con-
sidered innocuous by the republicans,
| such a measure might be allowed to go
through the Senate. But some OF the
republicans, including Senator Gallinger.
the republican leader, are opposed to any
such measure being passed. and they
probably would talk it to death, no mat
/ ter what it's form.
The belief generally expressed by
democratic senator's today was that the
| bill would be laid aside in the Senate
| for the present to take up appropria-
ton bills. They declared that they
| thought the House would be called upon
| to pass the Weeks naval auxiliary bill.
after amending it by striking out all
| after the enacting clause and inserting
the ship purchase bill. This bill would
come to the Senate. therefore. as a
Senate bill with House amendments. A
| motion would be in order to concur in
| only one roll call would be necessary
to pass the ship bill through the Sem
ate.
OF course. such motion would be
democrats supporting the bill would be
in a far better position from a parlia-
| rnentary point of view than at pres
ent. according to the views of the lead
| catch the opponents of the bill mapping
the bill might yet be passed.
Wrangle Over Proceedings.
When the Senate met today there was
a long wrangle over the journal of the
I preceding day. Senator Reed of Mis-
souri, insisting that hts notice of a mo-
| tion to amend the rules of the Senate
so as to permit Of cloture so far as
the ship bill is concerned had been
| properly given and sustained by the
| chair. Senator Luke Lea of Tennes-
see. however. who occupied the chair
at the time Senator Reed attempted to
i give his notice, told the Senate that he
sustained point of order made against
Senator Reed at that time, and that the
confusion in the chamber had been SO
great that the official reporters had not
| heard him, but that he had told the
Journal clerk to put it In the journal
journal corrected SO as to show that
the Gaiiinger point Of order had not
| been sustained. but his motion was
voted down overwhelmingly.
| Williams Amendment Referred.
Vice President Marshall this after
noon ruled that notice given by SEN
ator Williams two days ago of his in
tention to offer an amendment to the
rules providing a form of cloture was
in order. Senator Williams then asked
to have his proposed amendment re-
ferred to the rules committee, which
| Senator Owen of Oklahoma gave
notice of his intention to move to dis
charge the rules committee from fur
ther consideration of an amendment to
the rules providing cloture, which he
| introduced some time ago.
Senator Reed of Missouri renewed
| his notice that he would o1er an
amendment to the rules providing for
voting upon that measure the after
noon of February 19.
| 1t is not believed that any of these
motions looking to cloture in the Sem
ate will be adopted. But even If one of
them was, such motion to change the
rules would be open to debate and fill
buster long as the opponents of the
ship purchase bill desired to speak.
Will Call Extra Session.
bill fight began to grow acute Presi-
gressional callers that If the bill is not
passed at this session he will certainly
call an extra session. Up to this time
ability, but, with his fighting clothes
on today, he went the limit in stating
his determination. That this settles
beyond dispute an extra session was
with the situation in Congress felt to-
day that the shipping bill can go
through between now and March 4.
Oppose Extra Session.
A significant fact in connection with
the whole fight is that 1t is difficult to
find a senator or representative who
would go as far as the President is
going or threatens to go. Three out
of four democrats who are spoken to
will privately assert that there is no
demand from the country for such a
bill and that there is a strong demand
for Congress to close its work now and
go home to stay there. Still, the same
men declare their purpose to stand by
the President
| None Of the men who talk thus ap-
pear to have been candid In telling the
President the real feeling in Senat,
and House. They simply take the DO
. sition that as democrats they mus
. stand by their leader.
3 Within twenty feet of the President.
, offices today senators and representa-
tives expressed the hope that tn,
President would call the shipping bill
Off and boldly charge the republican,
with being responsible for defeating
what the administration declares to b.
paramount measure in the interest,
of increased prosperity to the country
So far as could be ascertained not on,
of these men told the President tn,
same thing. Their confidence in hin
: led them to announce their purpose o
standing by him.
! The prospect Of an extra session
aroused i'll feeling in all directions. ant
the prediction was made that this ses
sion of Congress will close with mor'
: resentments and personalities thai
) known in many years. The bitterness
Z will be carried to the extra session
lwhere party lines are to be draw