Evening star., 1915-01-29
BIG NAVAL BATTLE
RAGING IN HOUSE
Appropriation Bill Being Rak-
ed Fore and Aft by Rep
resentatives.
CHAIRMAN PADGETT OPENS
FIGHT WITH STATISTICS
Gardner Fires Broadside, Challeng-
ing Egures-Contest Continues
Until IL O'Clock Tonight.

Never was there q better prospect for
D. grand row on the floor OF the House
than there was today when the naval
appropriation bill was taken up, with
the House split into variety OF sent1-
snent concerning the navy. Its needs.
and the need for a navy. With all
hands primed for a grand naval en-
gaxement, Chairman Padgett Of the
naval affairs committee steadfastly re-
fused to allow the general debate TO
run over until tomorrow, and in conse-
ouence the House intends to sit until
II o'clock tonight. with no time on for
lunch or dinner-eleven hours OF heavy
bombardment.
The big navy forces will fire from
one side. the small navy men from the
other, while their target will be the
appropriation bill itself, carrying net
amount Of s142.sss.oo and authorizing
two new battleships. seventeen sub
marines and 100000 for naval aero
nautics, in addition to the general up
keep of the naval establishment.
Following the exhausting conversa-
tional row of today and tonight the
House will meet tomorrow to take up
the bill under the five-minute rule, and
attempts will be made both to elimi-
nate the two battleships from the bill
and to increase the two to four.
The electricity in the air was felt
plainly when the House took over half
an hour to agree on the time for gen.
eral debate. That the small navy men
have a battery full of talk was evident
when Representative Witherspoon. one
Of the leading small navy men. object
ed to the four hours allotted for the
exploitation of that end of the argu-
ment He thought five hours would be
better. Other men wanted the debate
to hang on tonight and tomorrow or
until all hands were exhausted either
mentally or physically. but finally
Chairman Padgett prevailed and the
grand opening ends tonight at IL
O'Clock.
Padgett Opens Fight.
The time was divided so that Repre-
sentative Butler OF Pennsylvania, rank
ing republican on the committee. will
control the time on that side. Chair
man Psdgstt on the democratic side.
with four hours left to Representative
Renslsy OF Missouri and other small
navy aAvosGxes. s.sss' 'sssss SssIi5-.si7
Chairman .Padgett opened the debate
with q statement of what the bill con-
Gains, and Representative Gardner. who
recommends a commission of inquiry
Into the naval status, Immediately
challenged some of the figures in the
naval committee report on the bill.
Alleges Inadequate Protection.
Protesting that the Pacific coast is
inadequately protected. Representative
Stephens of California said:
I'VE have two great ocean fronts and
a fleet large enough to protest but one.
The Pacific coast has more miles of
territory touching the three-mile limit
than the Atlantic coast. There are
twenty nine battleshtps on the Allan
tic and only one on the Pacific. That
one is the Oregon, nearly twenty years
old"
Representative Britton of Illinois
opened an attack on the plucking board
OF the navy. He said:
The actions of the board are secret;
IL makes no record its members take
a straw vote and are responsible to no
one"
Representative Britton declared that
Capt. Gibbons was retired by the board
for social reasons. and not for reasons
connected with hts ability as a naval
man.
Suggests Independent Commission.
II suggest that we have an independ-
facts in the case Of the navy and tell
us what to do said Representative
Gardner OF Massachusetts in his speech
on the naval appropriation bill. Much
OF his discourse was in the form of a
naval catechism. and his commission
suggestion was part of an answer to
the question
What would you sugsest?'
He added; 4 advise every man i'll the
House 10 vote for the full program of
The general board of the navy, and
advise every man to put his foot down
OIL the untimely cut proposed by the
House committee on naval affairs"
boards advice" was one of the cate
ch!sm's questions. To this the short
answer was:
Chuck II in the waste basket"
Gives Views of Admirals.
Does any one disagree with Secretary
Daniels" asked the catechism. and the
answer was:
Admiral Fiske. the chief for opera
tions of the feet. testified that it would
take five years to get the navy In shape
to meet a flrst-cIass power Admiral
Fletcher. commander of the North At
lantic fleet, says there is an alarming
shortage of 5.219 men and 3s9 officers
aboard the twenty-one battleships in
full commission under his command
Admiral Strauss says that every battle
ship in commission is equipped with a
short,range torpedo. which may be
considered obsolete for the battle fleet
Admiral knight testifies that there is
no unity of effort in the fleet
Other Opinions Quoted.
The general board of the navy te..
tined last year that the absence of a
definite naval policy has placed us IN
a position of inferiority which is get.
ting more and more marked. Com.
mander Stirling was rebuked by Sec.
retary Daniels for calling attention tt
the shocking condition of the subma
rine neet Admiral Badger testifie,
that we are $4,000 men short of wha1
we ought to have to man our ships
Capt Bristol testihes that we hay.
only twelve navy aeroplanes, where w.
ought to have 200. and so it goes: ant
yet gentlemen talk Of our prepared
ness"