The Washington times., 1915-01-24
EXTRA SESSION IS
SURE, OBSERVERS SAY
Snip Purchase Bill and the Ex.
peoted Protracted Debate Is
=. Obstacle Ahead,
Continued from First Paee)

\ohtinueQ from First Page.O
s,ld LIQUID interfere seriously with the de-
S.e OF those members of House anc
senate who are eager to have a rivei
an, ana hsrbor bill Of goodly dimensions
The decision of the Democratic csuc,u
tisns ti9ans = tnat ca the A Senate for an indefinite
Solth 81 the hardest struggles seen at tht
apito! :or meny months. The opr on
SSts Snts OF the ship purchase Dill are more
tSimsd other i,sSd to fight than over. On. the
sspurred by the White House. are de.
fnined forn to Keep the bill constantly be.
.snee. the senate. with long daily ses.
a., n snd iater on, night sessions. All.
~ be T tried. dn'sh' sessions may eventual.
,tsrg Eivge weeks and e half Of the present
sHsssion remain. Some OF the Repub.
cen ean leaders in tho Senate insist they
purchase for that lecgth OF time.
hnsy nmsy DO not. Of course. call it a nil
III Ths WIZ tr,,fs Gs ,"fIiiy ,hy, deetated;"
ten does not drive the ship purchase
opi through at this session it prob
asUly cannot pass 1t at all. II is known
eha.i ers. IN the next House there will be
HI0ut H"Mt 80 Democrats against it. The
IN their opposition.
Now or Never.
Undoubtedly. therefore. one strong
gent dil, on getting the ship purchase
olll passed this session is that it is
case OF passing 1t now or never.
T;xtreme lukewarmness toward TIRE
ntnr otti Is felt among Democratic Sem
sablest of their members. Who have
mhes ,l9s up for the bill. believe 1t un-
W. ss th o"t s are unwilling TO 60 counter
This lukewarmness on the mart Of
some OF the Democrats. with actual.
open hostility on the part Of others,
nno makes 1T possible for the Republican
feetively than Would OF otherwise . T5e be the The
case "'' 'e WV
AFTER an all-day session yesterday.
Inc Democratic caucus, by a vote Of
., 70 .. made the Administration ship
resolution re was passed calculated to bind
all Democrats to its support Senators
Hoke Smith. Bryan Of Florida. and
nnomas OF Colorado voted against the
unanimous. The resolution was BY
Senator Fletcher. and provides that the
ship purchase bill shall be passed, that
IT shall be kept the unfinished business
Senators are pledged to its support
Ihe vote was more than two-thirds,
and under the Democratic practice this
IS understood to bind all Democrats
However. some of the Democratic Sem
ators will disregard the caucus action,
although Administration leaders say
any Senate Democrat who does SO will
be liable to the charge Of bolting.
Threatened Punishment.
Moreover. the President in his In
dianapolis speech held UP the threat Of
punishment to the recalcitrant Demo-
Just how many Democratic Senators
will take an independent course and re-
fuse to support the bill unless materially
amended Is uncertain. Senators Varda-
man, Hardwick. O'Gorman. Bankhead.
Camden and Lane. are likely to stay
of the reservation. Neither Senator
Vardaman nor Senator Hardwick will
be bound by caucus action, but there is
doubt how far the others will permit
themselves to be bound.
The bill as it now stands has been
amended SO es to provide for a ship.
ping board consisting Of the Secretaries
civilians Of shipping experience. The
incorporation is to be In the District
and the capital is limited to $4,000. 900
An important amendment agreed to
Saturday will permit any ship built in
of this act for overseas trade to en-
gage also in coastwise trade. This
amendment was urged by Senators Reed
When the Senate debate is resumed
tomorrow: Senators Root and Gallinger
Root is expected to address himself in
part to the international difficulties
which, as he believes, will be likely to
result from the legislation.