Evening journal., 1915-02-02
SHIP PURCHASE
BILL NEAR Defeat
Nine Democrats Vote With
Republicans To
RecOmmit
ADJOURNMENT
SAVES THE DAY

tho chamber to the Administration 8
Ship Purchase bill yesterday after
noon overturned the whole program
Of its supporters and for a few hours
threatened to defeat the measure
without another days delay.
As it was, the parliamentary posi-
tion Of the measure was lost: the
proponents Of the bill were thrown
/ into more or less violent confusion,
/ and test of strength were indicated
which will probably shelve or de-
feat il outright, if a standup vote is
taken.
The plan for a continuous session
collapsed. The hilibusters, elated
over their success, yielded to the ex-
tent Of permitting an adjournment un-
I'll noon tomorrow Meanwhile the
Democrats will confer upon their pre-
dicament and seek some solution for
the perpleXlng position in which they
find themselves.
Nine Democrats Desert.
Nine Democratic Senators deserted
their party leaders today and brought
about the downfall of the party pro-
Bram. Friends of the bill, apparen-
Il, had not even dreamed OF such de-
lection in the Democratic ranks and
were stunned when they found the
enemies of the bill in clear ma
jority.
Up to this time the whole defense
OF the measure and of the extreme
tactics employed TO press it to a vote
were predicated upon the assumption
that majority Of the Senate favored
its PASSAGE otherwise it would never
have been permitted to deadlock all
legislation for days and to threaten
Congress with an extra session.
The nine Democratic deserters were
bankhead, Of Alabama; Bryan, of
Florida; Camden, of Kentucky; Clark.
OF Arkansas; Hardwick and Smith. Of
Georgia; Hitchcock, of Nebraska: (:
O'Gorman, of New York, and Varda-
man. of Mississippi
And the motion which smoked these
Democrats out was made by a Demo
. crat Clarke, of Arkansas, President
r pro tempore of the Senate. He had
e been speaking on the bill for a few
minutes when, without warning, he
moved that it be recommitted to the
Committee on Commerce, proposing
cctiOn that would have meant inded-
mite postponement A point of order
was made against this and the Vice
President sustained the point. An
appeal from the Chair was taken and
upon this motion the opposition to the
8 bill won by "A vote of 46 to 81.
Immediately the Democratic lead
ers sought an adjournment and were
defeated, with the intent it appeared
: to force the final vote then and there
] utpr "a To Inr .sia. ..i
h motion on the table was defeated b,
J. "A to AZ. Action upon the origina
motion TO recommit was not taker
1. last night
: Taking the position that no foreign
nation has the right to question in ad.
vance the manner in which President
Wilson will exercise the authority
conferred on him by the Ship Pur.
chase bill. Secretary of State Bryan
today denied that he had received
from Great Britain or any of hel
allies representations denying the
right of the United States to pur.
chase interned German merchant YES
%, sells.
mo nation has protested agains
e. the passage of the Shipping bill" h,
n. said, " and IL is not likely that any
lo nation will or would, since the bill
j, does not necessarily raise a diplo
-. matte question. If you desire to asl
"a whether ] would make any answe
rd TO inquiries in regard to this matter
rs. / will say that this department doe
eaii not think it proper to discuss witt
any nation the manner in which thi
], authority will or should be exercised
If conferred. The department as
~ sumes that if the authority is con
ai ferred It will be exercised by tn
10 President and those associated witt
u him i'm proper manner and with du
* regard To- the nations welfare"
IS, In anticipation of a continuous ses
sion, local furniture house was di
M rected to put up dozen beds in com
RS. mittee rooms near the chamber Fiv
'e- beds were put In Senator Gallagher
'r room, others were placed in Sena
r, tor Cores room on the first floor an
ed arrangements were made to accom-
,u. modate Senators who wished 10 tax
,n short maps, I'm the Presidents rooms
tie Senator Reed, who has repeated
opposed the President but who /
ic one of the staunch supporters of tn
G. Ship Purchase bill. assailed tn
5 Democrats who had voted with tn
o. Republicans.
tie 81 wonder If our friend. the ShiI
nd ping Trust, Is TO have an opportunit
si- tomorrow morning to congratulate il
on self. as IL has done many times I'm IN
2 past" he said. 1T has been yer
le- busy circulating briefs among tn
members of the Senate"
}l. He declared I'm concluding tbs
since every Senator at the Demo
TO cratic conference agreed to vote fc
RS the bill he could not understand no
TIA anyone who participated could voi
NJ otherwise than within the spirit {
en- the conference.
The Shipping Trust, the Missou
on Senator said, at the very moment wa
OF was declared, entered on a system Z
plumber. eXtorting enormous sun
llyl from American citizens endeaVorir
lerl TO escape from war scenes to the
et native shores.
ok. OF the Presidents determination
art give relief from "eXtortionate freig
ne rates" the Senator said:
"IIe saw the cotton on the wharv
81, and grain in the warehouses awaitiI
phn shipment. with ship owners standil
by demanding a toll nothing short
erie robbery. He saw while some of
O. were talking of larger navy we HI
raj no ships 10 carry coal or otherwise a
sing as auxiliaries. SO he suggested II
{ 8 measure and in every action exec