Norwich bulletin., 1915-02-16
Alleged Lobbying
 on Ship Purchase
SPECIAL INVESTIGATION TO BE
 MADE BY SENATE
BY UNANIMOUS VOTE
Intimatiens That Options Had Been Obtained on 5elligerent Ships With Intent to Unload Them on the Gov ernment.

Washington, Feb. 1o.-CharSeS and counter charges from democratic and fuences for and against the govern ment ship purchase bill which have smouldered about the capitol for weeks, were made the subject of special investigation today by the senate. The decision to inquire into alleged lobbying by agents of the shipping trust" against the bill and into the intirnations of negotiations for options on belhgerent ships to be sold to the government was unanl- nous. And with the decision depart ed the last hope of some of the most earnest champions of the ship ping measure that the bill could be passed in the senate by March f.
 Republicans to Maintain FiIibuster
 Although democrats of the house in caucus tonight sought to pave the way for passage of the amended bill in the lower branch of congress within a day or two, republicans of the sen- ate held to their determination that the fiIibuster against it should not be broken. Even some of the admins tration senators were inclined to the view that appropriation measures should now be taken up and rushed through zefore March 4, Should this result, it was intimated, there might be no further effort to force a vote on the ship bill in the upper branch nor would an extra session be called to consider it, at least for several months.
 To Thow Light on Opposition.
 While no definite announcements on the subject of an extra session have been made, the view was submitted by persons close to the president that the ship bill issue would be taken before the country. It would be shown that the house had passed the bill after desperate effort had been made to break down republican opposition in the senate and the responsibility for failure of the measure was due to a republican fiilibuster. The investiga- tton ordered today, administration leaders suggested, might bring out facts which would throw light upon the opposition to the bill.
 The inquiry will be conducted by Senators Walsh, Simmons, Reed, Bur- ton and Weeks This committee will meet tomorrow to consider it's task in all it's aspects and to mark a plan of procedure. Should there be no extra session of congress, the committee would be empowered to sit during a recess. as it is conceded that the pro posed inquiry could not be concluded by March 4.
 Reflection on Government Officials.
 Republican opponents of the ship bill proposed through .. resolution of fered by Senator Burton that portion of The inquiry which concerns inti- nations that persons or corporations in the United States sought options on belligerent ships with a view to sell ing them to the government and that the persons or corporations were in way allied with officials of the govern ment. This resolution, towether with another, not included in that adopt ed, requesting the secretary of the treasury for information on the sub- ject, aroused enlivening debate in the senate. Senators Williams and Reed charged that they were purposely in tended to reflect upon Secretary of the Treasury McAdoO and Paul A. War burg of the federal reserve board.
 Another portion of the inquiry re- suited from an amendment added to the Burton resolution by the commit tee on audit and control directed ping trust and by corporations that might be forced to compete with government shipping line. It also di- rected inquiry as to what United States senators are stockholders or bondholders of shipping corporations.
 CIoture Rule in Senate.
 Efforts of administration senators to force a cloture rule continued today, the demorcatic majority succeeding in
 
 anlbuscade and forcing the repubIi- cans to renew their filihuster in order to prevent acloture vote. Should vote on general or special rule to limit debate be forced, the republican lead CTS feared that several republicans would stand with the administration democrats. On several roll calls there was 2 tie vote, the vice president say ing the day for the administration.
 Pending before the senate is Sen ator Reeds motion to order a vote on the ship bill not later than February 19 with a general cloture substitute by Senator Norris to limit debate of each senator on any bill to three hours and an amendment by Senator CuInminS which would make the rule operatove against a bill on which senators of any party had attempted to bind sen ators in caucus.
 The house democratic caucus went into session tonight with Representa- tive Webb of North Carolina in charge of the fight for the special rule to con- slider the ship purchase bill and Rep resentative Page of North Carolina leading the opposition.
 Conferences Held Continuously.
 Throughout the day Conferences had been held continuously by both sides and the administration leaders made vigorous. but unavailing efforts to win over Representative Ktchin of North Carolina, leader of the next house Late in the day Secretary Daniels of the navy, who is from Representa- tive Kitchin's home state, made a trip to the capital. He was closeted with Representative kitchin for nearly an hour but when the latter reiterated his determination to vote against the bill and to keep aloof from active par in the fight.
 Administration leaders on the house side were declaring tonight that if the ship purchase bill were passed by the house and sent to the senate an ex- tra session of congress would be avoided There was copsiderable dis 1 cussion of a report in circulation that it was planned to abandon the appro- priation bills pending in the senate re- gsrdleSs of whether the ship bill pass ed. Those discussing the report ar 1 gued that money would be saved byi passing a joint resolution continuing rha currsnt aEnrQnria1ions.