The Washington herald., 1915-01-18
.GOEKE REVOLT
HITS ship BILL
Ohioan Will Have Support in
Opposing Presidents
Pet Measure.
SENATE PLANS CAUCUS
Reconstruction of Bill Will Be At
tempted to Meet Divergence
of Democrats.

With five weeks and two and a half
days remaining of this session of Con-
gress, prospect for passage of the Presi-
dents pet measure, the ship purchase
bill, is far from encouraging to friends
of the administration. Not a single gen
eral appropriation bill has yet passed
the Senate. The District Of Columbia
bill. numbered by the proposed prohibi-
tion amendment is likely to occupy the
Senate for three or four days.
The Democratic Senatorial caucus.
which started Saturday evening and ad-
jOurned over until tonight may take aC-
tion that will expedite some Of the legis-
latiOn now hung up in the Senate. 1t
is regarded as significant that the eau
Gus was unable to put through resO-
luton committing the majority to the
Presidents bill. but had TO take a reso-
luton that simply pledged the Demo-
Gratis to make "a ship bill" the un-
finished business commencing as soon as
the District of Columbia appropriation
bill is out OF the way. The chances are
believed to be about nine out of ten
that the ship purchase bill will not get
through.
The opposition developed against II
Saturday night among Democratic
Senators was far from encouraging.
An attempt is to be made at the
caucus to night to amend the bill,
practically to reconstruct II to meet
the divergent views of Democratic
Senators. The caucus will also decide
whether the majority shall seek to
impose night sessions.
Republicans VIII Fight.
Republican Senators are full of
fight and feel certain they will be
able to defeat the ship purchase bill
Their chief concern is whether the
Preident will call Congress back into
extra session to pass the bill. Their
judgment is that he will hardly do so.
Notwithstanding suggestions passed
out from the White House that the
2--ent would certainly convene
Congress in special session to pass
the ship bill if they failed to put it
through at this session.
The Democratic majority in the Houss
will be- narrower in the next Congress
than in the present. The President is
confronted with the fact that in the pres
ent House seventy Democratic Congress
men are opposed to the ship purchase
bill In the Ohio delegation a consid-
cradle Democratic revolt has started.
Representative Cooke, a member Of the
Interstate and Foreign Commerce COM
mittee that will consider the ship pur-
chase bill, has already announced that
he will offer a substitute to the bill, if it
comes up providing an outright ship sub
sidy.
He will have some support in the dele
CATION.
Republican leaders practically are
agreed on a filibuster IL necessary TO
prevent the passage OF the ship bill They
will resist any attempt to impose night
sessions by demanding a quorum at all
times Without night sessions, little
progress can be made with the ship bill.
Indications, are that the President. act
ing upon the advice of Senate leaders,
who conferred with him Friday, will
abandon the Philippines and conserva-
ton measures. There is no disposition
to delay the bills intended to increase
the army and these are expected to go
through.