The Sentinel=record., 1915-01-05
SHIP BILL TAKEN
UP IN THE SENATE
REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL PROMISES TO BRING
ABOUT SURPRISES.
The Republicans Believe Purchase Of
Ships by Government Would Bring
Us Into the War.

Washington Jan. Adjournment
purchase Of ships as proposed in the
administration bill to create snip
ping board, finance a $l0,O00000 ship
ping corporation and expend. not to
exceed $30.000,000 for The purchase or
chartering of ocean carrieGs. became
today the foremost issue before con
gress.
BY a vote of 46 to % the senate
made the ship purchase bill the ul-
| finished business to be supplanted
only by appropriation bills. This ac-
ton, on motion of Senator Fletcher,
| acting chairman OF the commerce
! committee, predicted a showing on
the part Of the opposition senators
! which gave certain indications that
there were breakers ahead Tor the
proposed legislation. Charging that
an effort was being made to rush the
bill with undue haste, republican seaa-
tors among them Senators Gallinger,
Dodge and Root. served notice that
the measure would be fought to the
last ditch
Minority members Of the commerce
committee filed a report, written by
Senator Burton and endorsed by
Senators Nelson, Perkins, Smith Of
Michigan and oliver, asserting that
the plan proposed would not relieve
! slipping conditions because it would
! be impossible for the government to
! get ships enough to do any good 1t
! pointed also dangers of international
! complications arising. declaring that
every craft set afloat by the govern
ment would add one more risk OF our
being drawn into the present war
Senator Fletcher who has charge
of the bill and recently conferred with
! President Wilson concerning it,
urged the measure in a lengthy speech
| after republican senator's lad issued
their pronulciamento of opposition.
He declared the war had produced "a
| ship famine" ana that the interests q
all people in the United States de
manded that the government take i'm
mediate action to supply ships to
carry American products demanded
in the markets of Europe and South
America. He instanced the fact that
cotton sold at 10 cents a pound in
! Germany When it was bringing 7
cents in the. United States. Germany
would consume 100000. 600 pounds Of
cotton if she could get it, he said, and
the south had fifteen times that
amount to sell.
When the war began, Senator
| Fletcher declared England had 5000
and Germany 1000 vessels in the
open seas trade, while the United
States had only six He said that
American merchants gave annually to
foreign ship owners $300,000000 in
ocean freights.
The emergency bill opening Ameri-
can registry to foreign.buit craft
Senator Fletcher said, had not met
the needs of American manufacturers
He read lists OF the 105 ships when
transferred their flags to show that
none was a first-cass cargo boat,
that over 80 per cent of these We're
| SHIPS OF companies which needed
them for their own business and con
sequently added nothing TO the facili-
ties for the transportation Of general
cargoes.
We must see to it, he said, that
war between ether countries shall
never again cripple our industries for
lack of ships
An amendment to the bill submitted
| by Senator Stone, designed to pre-
vent secret shipment of contraband to
foreign ports, would authorize the
president to designate. from time to
time, ports where customs collectors
would be required to inspect all car
goes before loading Heavy penalties
would be imposed upon shippers and
vessel masters tor violations Of the
provisions
Discussion of the bill was deferred
late in the day to make way for the
urgent deficiency appropriation bin
aad other appropriation measures
probably viii be taken up as they
come from the house. Republican
leaders insist that many weeks viii