Goldsboro weekly argus., 1915-02-18
H~use Democrats Caucus in
Session with Page ard Webb
Against Each Other
n. DANIELS Is ACTIVE
Secretary OF Navy Makes Trip to Cap1-
tOI. is CIOseted With Kitchin, But
Latter Reiterates Decision
To Vote Against Bill.

Washington, Feb 15-Charges and
sounte.-charges from Democratic and
Republic an sources concerning inf1u-
ences for and against the government
ship purchase bill, which have smoul-
dered about the capitol for weeks,
wer made the subject of special in
vestigation today by the senate.
E'he decision to inquire into alleged
lobbying by agents of the shipping
trust" again st the bill and into init
nations of Negotiations for options on
belligerent ships to sell to the govern
ment was unanimous. With the de-
eision departed the last hope of solne
of the most earnest champions of the
shipping measure that the bill could
be passed in the senate by March 4.
Although Democrats of the house in
eaucus tonight sought to pave the way
for passage of the amended shipping
measure in the lower branch of Con
Gress within a day or two, senate Re
publicans held to their determination
that the filibuster against it should
continue Even some administration
senator's were inclined to the view that
appropriation measures should be tax
n ap and rushed through before Marc
4. Should this result, it was init
mated there might be no further eff
fort to force vote on the ship bill
in the upper branch, nor would an ex@
ira session be called to consider it,
at least for several months.
While no definite announcement on
the sdbject 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. 1t would be shown
that the house had passed the bill
after a desperate effort had been made
to break down Republican opposition
ia the senate and that responsibility
for failure of the measure was due to
. Republican flibuster.
The investigation ordered today, ad-
Hinistration leaders suggested might
bring out facts which would throw
light upon opposition to the bill.
The inquiry will be conducted by
Senators Walsh, Simmons, Reed, Bur-
ton and Weeks. This committee will
meet tomorrow to mark 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 t-lo pro-
posed inquiry could not be concluded
by March 4.
Republican opponents of the ship
bill proposed through resolution Of
8ered by Senator Burton, that portion
of the inquiry which concerns intima-
tions that persons or. corporations in
the United States sought options on
belligerent ships with a view to selling
persons or corporations were in some
way allied with officials of the gov
srnment This resolution, together
with another, not included in that
adopted, requesting the secretary OF
the treasury for information on the
subject, aroused engivening debate.
Senators Williams and Reed charged
8 they were. purposely intended to re-
fect upon Secretary of the Treasury
AcAdoo and Paul M. Wal burg, of the
Federal Reserve board.
Another portion of the inquiry re
sulted from an amendment added te
the Burton resolution by the commit
tee on audit and control directed
against an alleged lobby by the ship
ping trust" and by corporations tha
mfsht be forced to compete with gov
ernment shipping line. 1t also direct
ed inquiry as to what United State.
senators are stockholders or bond
heldrers OF shipping corporations.