The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-02-20
Want SHIP BILL CONFERENCE
DEMOCRATS REALIZE. MEASIrRII
CANNOT LIVE Unless CHANG
ED TO SUIT OTHERS.
Baker Says Hamburg American OF
hcial Told Him Berlin Opposed
Sale of Ships.


Washington, Feb. 1.-THE amend
cd government shipping bill, rushed
through the house early today, failed
to gain any ground when it reached
the senate, and administration lead
ers tonight were uncertain as to it's
fate.
EARLY in the day it was discovered
that the amended bill had failed to
satisfy recalcitrant Democrats or
Progressive Republicans. Without
support Of either Of these factions the
bill could not be passed. Democratic
leaders realized nothing could be dope
unless the measure could be changed
in conference. Efforts to send the
amended bill to conference failed. An
other effort will be made tomorrow.
More interest centred today in the
special senate committees inquiry
into charges of outside influences on
the pending measure. Bernard N.
Eaker, Baltimore steamship man
ager, told the committee of confer
ences with Secretary McAdoo, in
which he declared that 80 per cent.
of foreign ships tied up in United
states ports because of the war were
not available for purchase because un-
suitable for commercial purposes.
Mr.. Baker also stated that w. ].
Sickel, a Hamburg American line Of
ficial, had told him he received orders
from the German government not to
sell any German vessels to the United
States. The committee summoned Mr.
Sickel. who will appear tomorrow.
Wallace Downey, a New York ship
builder, was also summoned.
AS to the shipping bill itself, Repub-
lican leaders insist it is dead, and ex-
press Willingness to quit their filibus-
ter If the senate will take up appro-
priation bills. Administration Demo-
Gratis were said to be willing to do
this if the shipping bill first could be
sent to conference. Negotiations for
an understanding were under way to-
night.
That Senators Norris, Kenyon and
LaFollette, Progressive Republicans,
who favored the senate bill, would
not support the Weeks-Gore measure
as it passed the house, because they
believed it to be too temporary in
character, was apparent early in the
day. lnsurgent Democrats opposed
the measure because they thought It's
character too permanent. Senator
Hardwick sought 10 amend the motion
to send the bill to conference, with
the instruction that it be made termin-
able two years after the war; This
was defeated with Progressive Re-
publican votes.
Despite the uncertainty of the situa-
tion, senate and house leaders felt
confident there will be no extra ses-
sion OF congress and that, the shipping
bill, If not sent to conference would
be displaced in the senate by appro-
piration bills. The report persists
that as many of the supply measures
as can be passed before March A will
be disposed of and that joint resoiu-
tions continuing existing appropria-
tions for other departments will be
adopted wherever necessary.
Late in the day administration
leaders held n long conference over
the situation. Several proposals to
the Republicans for ending the rili-
buster by sending the bill to confer
ence were sidered. No agreement
was reached, however, and the Demo-
cratic leaders sought to hold the sem
ate in session for the night, thinking
this might bring about some COM
promise. They were unable to get
Progressive Republicans to stand with
them, and u motion to adjourn car
ried.