The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-02-14
Administration VIII Keep it Up Until
Noon Of March 4 and Then in
Extra Session of
Congress.
ATTACK FILIBUsTER
White House is Confident, However,
That Compromise Bill Can be
Passed and Extra Session
Avoided.

fight until noon, March 4-and then
possibly in an extra session of con-
gress-was the prospect facing the
administration ship purchase bill to-
night Senate democrats held CON
ference tonight in an effort to down
their opponents filibuster, they adopt
ing rule choking off debate and fore
ing vote. All day the republicans
continued secondary ilibuster
against the SO called gag plan.
Confidence that the compromise bill
would be passed by both houses and
an extra session avoided, was the
white house attitude. Democratic
leaders in congress were not so con-
fident. They openly admitted that re-
publican opposition had not been a.
-Iayed by. the compromise measure ana
that unless the flibuster Is broken by
feat the legislation by talking it TO
death Then the question of calling
an extra session would be directly up
to the president.
~ The administration real battle
ground was transferred today to the
house. Chairman Padgett of the naval
committee formally introduced the
administration compromise bill, giving
the presidents personal 0. K. last
night While the senate is marking
time next week the filibuster on clio
ture rules will continue on the new
house bill received. Then will come
the final showdown in the senate.
A house democratic caucus to bind
members to vote for the compromise
bill was called this afternoon for Mon
day night The new bill will be
brought up in the house next Tuesday
and passed late that night under gag
rule limiting debate to six hours and
prohibiting amendments
Friends and foes of the bill in the
house, concede its Tassage by SUD
stantial majority. The vote will show,
however. how many democrats are
opposed and whether there are enough
who will be members of the next coa-
gress to prevent its passage at an
extra session. Many house democrats
today refused to sign the call for a
caucus. They will also be allowed to
"absolve" themselves from being
bound by the caucus action in support
OF the bill and will be allowed to vote
against it, despite the caucus.
democratic insurgency in the
house broke out this afternoon when
Dies, of Texas, made lengthy speech
opposing the legislation because Of its
government ownership feature.
The senate situation tonight was a
parliamentary maze. The senate dem
ocratic conference early today did not
clarity matters. No agreement be,
ing made on various cloture proposals,
IL nd
night. 9fsyh-rt
eli Ship Legislation, technically, rs temp
orarily shelved in the senate. Pend
ing, officially, instead, is Senator
Reeds cloture resolution proposing
that debate be checked and vote
taken on the ship bill February 10.
Senator Norris has an amendment,
proposing presidential Limitation OF
debate. Upon this the secondary NIL
buster is continuing. excluding the
tammed-gpr appropriation bills from
consideration. awaiting passage by the
house of the new compromise bill.
A senate effort may be made Mon
day to take UP the appropriation bills.
It IS doubtful if this will succeed. The
republicans insist no legislation must
be considered until the ship bill is
killed.
Leaders of all parties admit that If
the appropriation bills are not so soon
taken UP, it will be impossible to pass
them and an extra session for that
purpose, even if the ship bill should
not be pressed further, will be abso-
luteIy necessary. Republican sena-
tors tonight voiced violent opposition
to the compromise administration bill.
Senator Smoot, an opposition leader,
announced that the compromise bill
introduced in the house today woul1
be fought to- the bitter end The re-
5csIcitrant democrats are also opposed
to its passage---in opposition of gov
eminent fleet The compromise bill,
sponsored by Representative Padgett
Of the administration, is distinct
substitute for the pending senate bill
n ts a combination of the Gore bill
and the Weeks naval auxiliary bill
with additional amendments. The Gore
hill is substantially the senate bill,
augmentation of $40,o00,o00 for gov
erbment ships to be operated by fed
eraI shipping commission. 1t also pro-
yjdes that no ships shall be bought
which would be breach of present
United States neutrality in the war
The Weeks bill provides operation
NJ naval transports in the merchant
trade.
The new amendments, offered as
concession by the administration, pro.
vide that operation of the Weeks Dill
shall be suspended while the ships
brought under the Gore provisions are
being operated. Then it provides that
two years after the war, the shipping
commission shall transfer the newly
purchased government ships to the
secretary of the navy, who, with ap-