The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-23

Result in Dangerous Complications
With England Russia, France and
Japan.
WASHINGTON, Jan. %. - The Ad-
ministration Ship Purchase bin got in
to such dangerous waters Yesterday
that the Democratic leaders in the SEN
ate decided that further consideration |
of the measure at this time would be
unwise. As Il result of this feeling they |
arranged that the senate should take a |
recess until Monday, thus abandoning
ltheir intention of trying to exhaust the
Republican speakers by having pro- |
tracted sessions every day.
Among the Republicans the recess
was hailed as a sign Of weakness on
| the part of the supporters of the bill. |
| Some Republicans went so far as TO as
sert that the bill was beaten already.
and that the Democrats realized this
| The Democratic explanation of the re-
| cess was that it would afford them an
opportunity to perfect the bill to suit
certain objections that have been
raised 10 some Of its provisions. \ con
ference of the Democratic senators. the
fourth this week, was held last night
ito consider proposed amendments. and
most of today is being devoted 10 4
similar conference.
/ Senator Lodge of Massachusetts nj
TERED n solemn warning TO the senate
yesterday that the ship purchase bill
.'would bring the United States within
measurable distance of war not only
with England, but with France, Russia
and Japan lie said in beginning:
t. This bill presents for consideration
many questions Of the greatest possible
magnitude. 1t commits the government
OF the United States to government
ownership in Il direction never before
attempted, except on perfectly insi9
nifcant scale, by any nation and never
by amy great maritime nation. 1t Is
an advance in the direction of Social
; ism. which alone would merit thor
. ough debate in the senate. 1t opens
; Iup the whole question, one Of the great
est questions with which this country
has had to deal for many years, of the
hest method OF rcViVing the American
merchant marine in foreign trade It
= also involves international questions Of
the sravcst character and frau@ht with
- most serious possibilities
Mr.. Lodge told the senate that the
purchase Of German ships now would
be Of great assistance to Germany in
carrying on the war. and that fact. in
Ibis Judgment, would make the purchase
by the American government Il serious
D breach of neutrality. He said that h
thought that the treasury department
was wise in its refusal 70 insure the
former Hamburg-American liner, Dacia
2 now under American registry. but ht
added that he thought the state depart
, ment was making a rather dangerou,
sail so as to make q test case.
The emergency in the shipping bust
ness, which had once been advanced a
a reason for buying the informed ships
Senator Lodge said, no longer support
ed the purchase, because ships were 90
ing empty to South America and dis
- charging facilities were not to be oh
n tanned for those ships now entering tn
II crowded open ports of Europe.
II Surprising the purchase, however. t
II be made he said 1.-The transfer O
ii these ships TO our flag would follow
II Then the question ut once arises as I
II whether the belligerents opposed 10 Gen
II many would recognize that transfer.
II do not intend to dwell upon this poinr
because, as / have said, il will be thor
II Iouahly discussed later, but this much
II will say, that France and Russia hay
II always held consistently to the d0ctrin
II that the transfer of the flag from
II lbelligercnt to Il neutral, after hostihtif
II had begun, was not to be recognize,
II and England, although Sir Edward Gre
=. in his despatch last summer mad
some notifications III his opposition (
! the sale to rs OF the German ships. :
to the particular trade in which thcs
ships should he engaged, he also mad
it abundantiy clear that the obicctio
to the transfer would lie if the shin
were put into the European trade.
LAS we now have more cargo spac
going to South America than we ca
I'LL, it is obvious that if the ships to h
-, purchased under this bill are to be {
l'n ianv use they must be put into the En-
ropean trade, so that we have notice {
ewifhe views of the belligercnts in reoat
to this question of the transfer of IL
ow lhag II the ships were purchased, ii
Iunneutral act committed, and the shil
49,, transferred to our flag, they would tho
'th 90 to sea as government owned ship
.and, in view of the belIigcrents opposC
ew to Germany, would still be Germa
!thips. would be regarded as good priz
>, land liable TO be captured or sunk b
- cause they were still German ships.
- thing / need not enlarge on II
danger which such Il situation won
TOT present to the peace and welfare of Il
United States. 1t would not help q
- export trade and would bring us wit
in measurable distance of war. n
with England alone. but with Frame
lRussfa. and Japan