The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-16

Wnshin ston. February i5.--Chsrgcs l md counter charges from democratic | and republican sources concerning In
 hueuces for and against the govern
 ment ship purchase bill. which have
 smouIdered about the capitol for weeks.
 were mnde the subject of n special in-
 y~stigntion today by the Senate. The decision to inquire into alleged lob hyins by agents of the shipping trust against the bill and into intin,ations of i-negotiationa for options on beliaorni ships to sell to the government was
 unanimous. With the decision departed | the last hope of some of the most earnest
 champions of the shipping measure that I the bin conId be passed in the senate l by March 4
 | Although democrats Of the House in caucus tonight sought to pave the way | for passage of the amended shipping
 measure in the lower branch of Congress within day or two republicans of the Senate held to their determination that the filibuster against it should not be broken. Even some of the administration senators were inclined to view that ap- propriation measures should now be ! tai<cn up and rushed through before March {. Should this result. it was nti-
 mated, there might be no further effort to force vote on the ship bill in the
 upper branch, nor would an extra ses-
 sion be called 10 consider It. at least for
 sveral months.
 No Announcements While nQ definite announcements on the subject of an extra session have been
 made, the view was submitted by per-
 sons close to the President that the ship bill issue would be taken before the coun- try. It would be shown that the House
 had passed the bill after desperate ef-
 fort had been made to break down re- publican opposition in tho Senate, and that responsibility for the failure of the measure was due to a republican nlibus- ter.
 The Investigation ordered today. ad- ministration leaders suggested, might bring out facts which would throw light upon opposition to the bill.
 The inquiry will be conducted by Sena- tors Walsh Simmons. Reed, Burton and Weeks. This committee will meet somor- row to consider It's task in all it's as- spects and to mako a plan of procedure
 Should there be no extra session of Con
 gross the committee would be ernpow- cred to sit during a recess as 1t is con | ceded that the proposed inquiry could
 not be concluded by March 1. Republican opponents of the ship bill proposed through a resolution offered by Senator Burton, that portion of the in- ut txb mi m persons or corporations in the United States sought options on belligerent ships with view to selling them to tho gov ernment, and that these persons or cor porations were in some way allied With officials of the government. This resolu- | ton. together with another. not included l in that adopted. requesting the Secretary of the Treasury for information on the subject, aroused enlivcning debate in the Senate. Senators Williams and Reed charged that they, were purposely intend- ed to reflect upon Secretary of the Treas
 uryls McAdoo and Paul NJ. Warburg Of 1 the federal reserve board.
 | Another portion of the inquiry resulted | from an amendment added to the Bur ton resolution by the committee on audit and control directed against an alleged lobby by the shipping trust and fby corporations that might be forced to com pete with government shipping line. It
 
 States senators are stockholders or bond holders of shipping corporations. May Side With Minority Efforts of administration senators to
 force a cloture rule continued today. the democratic majority succeeding In fight Ing Its way through parliamentary ann buscade and forcing the Republicans to renew their filibuster in order to pre-
 vent a rule to limit debate. Should vote
 on general or special cloture rule be forced. the republican lea feared several republicans would st< -wssn the administration democratA On several Troll calls there was a tie vote. tho vice president saving the day for the admin istration.
 l Pending before the senate is sena- tor Reeds motion to order vote on tho | ship purchase bill not later than Feb-
 ruary 9. with general cloture substitute
 by Senator Norris to limit debate i'd | each senator on any bill to threA hours. and an amendment bv SAnator CN,U,N m