Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-01
ARMISTICE ON SHIP PURCHASE
BILL SUNDAY after CONTINUOUS
SESSION FROM II A. N. SATURDAY

war, not with one nation but with
four"
Senator Kern was on his feet as Mr..
Lodge concluded with the first visible
evidence of a draw in the long par
liamentary battle. ..
Il move" said he. that the Senate
take recess at IL o'clock tonight I'M
til 10 o'clock Monday morning"
There was no dissent and the mo-
ton prevailed by unanimous consent.
Smith AssaiIs Tariff
Senator Crawford followed, reading
some remarks for Senator Perkins.
Senator Perkins declared that govern
ment ownership and operation Of the
merchant marine would cripple and dis
courage private enterprise and delay the
day all Americans hoped to see, when
the Stars and Stripes would wave on
every sea. All that the government
could take over under this bill. he de-
clared. would be some 60 ships already
engaged in carrying American COM
merce.
The senator argued that ships pur-
chased must be classed either as private
or public vessels, and as private vessels
they would lose the immunities and
rights of public craft. On the other
hand, he commended that the belligerents
would not grant them freedom from
search because they We're public vessels
and that all would be left to the United
States would be to 90 to war to pro-
tect its rights.
Senator William Alden Smith OF Mich
igan followed Senator Perkins.
Senator Smith painted a gloomy word
picture Of the business condition Of the
country under the Democratic tariff. An
era Of record breaking business NOR
tality' had followed the enactment of
that tariff. he said. and he characterized
the shipping bill as the 'hAth adminis-
tration folly"
President who was SO hopeful. with 20
little cause. as the present incumbent
Of the White House." he said. From
the day he signed the tariff bill he has
not let week go by without proclaim
ing that prosperity was here"
Majority members refused to be drawn
into a tariff debate. however, ignoring
Senator Smiths challenges with weary.
apathetic silence.
Early in the evening Senator Smoot
re-appeared on the floor apparently much
refreshed and ready for another long
distance argument should his services
prove necessary.
What Sec. MeAdoo Said
| The Senate galleries gradually filled
with spectators as the evening wore on.
and many Senators who mad gone home
| for brief rest returned to the cham
Der, some of them in evening dress.
Senator Smiths discourse covered a
wide field Once he said:
Il heard the Secretary Of the Trens-
ury ask a distinguished audience at San
Diego, Calf, the other day: What is
the matter with the country The
people who heard him were struck
dumb. Nobody could answer. and
finally the Secretary of the Treasury
answered; Not a thing s.r
Did l understand the Senator from
Michigan to say that lie was present
and heard this" asked Senator Chiffon.
Yes. was present." Senator Smith
replied.
And was struck DUMB" asked Sem
| ator Chiffon. precipitating an uprOar in
| the chamber and galleries.
Senator Bristow asked Senator Smith
If he had heard that the people in
Great Britain, Germany and even in
France were beginning to feel unfriend-
ly toward the United States. The Kan
sas Senator declared he had today been
told this by an eminent American who
had just returned from these countries.
| Senator Smith replied that there was
mo question but what the foreign policy
Of the Administration is making us en-
emies'