Evening star., 1915-02-23
SENATE NEARLY DONE
WITH THE ARMY BILL
Long Debate Today on the Subject
of Scientific Ship Man
agement.

Action of the Senate military commit
tee in striking from the army appropri-
alton bill the House provision to prohibit
expenditures for scientific shop manage
ment and stop-watch experiments in gov
ernment works precipitated long oiscus-
sion in the Senate today.
Senator Hughes of New Jersey pieaoeo
for restoration of the section This is
the only amendment remaining 70 pe
acted on in the army bill.
Progress Made Yesterday.
The army bill was before the senate
practically all day yesterday, and when
a recess was tagen at .:2o o'clock last
evening onlya few items OF the Dill re-
manned to be acted upon.
Senator Shively, chairman of the
committee on pensions, interrupted the
consideration of the army bill to call
up the pension bill, carrying $164,o0o,-
OO0 The bill was passed by the Senate
in almost record time. four minutes.
The reading of the bill took only two
minutes. Senator Lodge of Massachu-
setts asked a question, and then the
bill was passed
The discussion of the army bill
ranged over wide field. but the need
of the United States to put itself in
a state of preparedness for war, which
might come at any time. was en-
phasized.
Senator Thomas criticised those who
advocated a greater army and navy,
and Senator Brandegee replied.
Senator Thomas declared that the so
called advocates of preparedness for
war could coin blood and tears Of the
people into dividends that would eX-
haust the resources of the nation. He
urged that there had never been ma,
tion which prepared for war that did
not eventually get into war.
Regarded as "Idle Chatter"
Senator Brandegee replied that it
was well enough to talk about unl-
versal peace, but in view of what had
happened in the last four or five years
he regarded it as mere idle chatter
chatter which was criminal in those
who knew how the forefathers had es-
tablished American Institutions by the
use of their strong arms.
Intervention by the United States,
Argentine. Brazil and Chile to police
the territory of Mexico with a view OF
establishing and maintaining order
was advocated by Senator Fall of New
Mexico. He urged that the safety of
the United States from attack across
the seas depended upon the restora-
ton of order in Mexico.
Since the Niagara mediation. he said,
he felt it would be well for the United
States to invite the three mediating
countries to join this nation in re-
storing order in Mexico by relieving
the millions of people of that country
from the grip of 10000 bandits who
are choking them to DEATH The New
York police force alone could have re-
| stored order in Mexico at one time.
| the senator predicted, and added that
in his opinion not a very large force
would be necessary now.
Cites Views Of Mexican People.
Senator Fall declared the Mexican
people believed the United States had
been false to obligations assumed at
Niagara by not requiring Carranza, to
guarantee the lives and property of
political opponents upon his entry into
Mexico City. He stated that both Villa
and CarranZa were fighting with the
Tampico oil fields as their goal. and that
agents of each had sought to organize
financial backing to take charge of the
fields as soon as they gained possession
| Of them.
| Senator Fall took the position that
| President Wilson had been grossly mis-
| informed about Mexican affairs. Instead
| of conditions improving, he told of at
| least half a dozen men each asserting he
was president of the republic, and of
| each leader regarding every town he en-
purposes of plunder. Each leader he in
sisted. issued his own currency, which
| must be accepted upon penalty of being
shot.
Attacks Villas Character.
Senator Fall concluded his speech by
an attack upon Villas character. He
declared that upon Villas entry into
Mexico City he found a hotel in charge
of a French woman whose husband
had Joined his colors in France after
placing his property in charge of the
French ambassador. With the assist
ance of file of soldiers, Senator Fall
declared, Villa took this woman
screaming in an automobile through the
city and kept her four days. He eX-
pressed his belief that the French gov
ernment had protested to this govern
ment against the act.
This was not the act of a subordi-
nate, but of Villa, and am not repeat
ing rumor," declared Senator. Fall.
This is the man upon whom the ad-
ministration, I might say, sincerely,
seems to have looked to bring order
out of the chaos in Mexico"
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