Evening star., 1915-02-15
Would Hit the Democrats.

The democrats have taken caucus ac-
ton upon the ship bill and have at
tempted to pledge all members of the
party in the Senate to support the bill.
If this Norris rule were adopted they
would be disqualified from voting on
the bill. though each senator would be
entitled to decide for himself whether
he should vote.
Senator Norris intends to keep his
amendment to the Reed resolution be-
fore the Senate. notwithstanding the
pleas of democrats that he withdraw it
and let the vote come on a specified
rule to end debate on the ship bill
February 10.
The republicans are prepared to go
ahead with their filibuster against the
cloture rule proposed. or to filibuster
against the ship purchase bill, if it be
taken up/again.
Only fourteen and half working days
remain Of the present session after to-
day, and unless something be done i'm
mediately to end the discussion of the
ship bill, and to pass the appropriation
bills, an extra session is inevitable. Sen
ator Overman of North Carolina. chair
man of the rules committee, today de-
clared it his opinion that an extra ses-
sion this spring could not now be avoided.
Unless the President agrees not to press
further the ship purchase bill in the SEN
ate within the next few days. nothing can
prevent an extra session, in the opinion
of the republicans.
New Leaders" Apprehensive.
Although the new leaders" of the
House propose to force the compromise
ship purchase measure to a vote Thurs
day, they are trembling in their shoes
lest the silent filibuster that is being
carried on against the bill in the
House today may defeat the measure
in the democratic caucus tonight. The
crisis really lies with the action
of the secret caucus, which will be
held IN the House of Representatives
this evening, for under the democratic
rules two-thirds of the party member
ship must vote for measure before it
is held to be binding on the entire
membership.
Southern members opposed to the
ship purchase measure were not posi-
tive that they would be successful in
upsetting the plans of the new lead
ers." who have been gathering their
clans today for final assault, but
there is a chance that for the first
time in many moons democratic
House may refuse to be bound solid
for an administrative measure.
There are about sixty democrats who
are non-committal on the subject, and
the balance of the majority is under
stood to be equally divided for and
against the measure. If this is correct
ii is difficult to figure out a two-thirds
majority in the caucus
One OF the most interesting studies
going on in the House corridors today
was figuring out how the 100 or so
lame ducks" on the democratic side
would vote in caucus and on the floor
Thursday il the measure is not killed
tonight Many OF these outgoing mem
bers are seeking federal appointments.
Warburg Makes Statement.
Paul ". Warburg of the federal re-
serve board. whose name has been
brought up in the Senate debates. when
senators opposed to the ship bill have
questioned whether Kuhn, Loeb & Co,
OF which he formerly was mem
ber,> were not interested in selling
German ships to the government. made
statement today disclaiming he ever
had discussed the ship bill with any
one, and reiterated that he gave I'D all
outside affiliations when he Joined the
federal board.
II have never discussed with Secre-
tary McAdoo nor any member of the
administration or Congress, directly or
indirectly, the purchase or sale of the
ships of the Hamburg American line
or any other line" said he. "As a mat
ter of fact. / have conscientiously
avoided all political discussions and
States to whom / ever said word
f..x- Oh IA