The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-08-10
CONTINUED
FROM PAGE l
NAVY YARD RELIES
UPON POINDExTER


without doubt. where the senator
or Congressman IN respected by his
colleagues
Poindexters high standing with
bis fellow members ia the senate
vas responsible for the unanimous
vote received By his bill To equip
the Brcmerton navy yard for bat
tleshlp construction. aud appro-
priatinE S2.0s5. 900 for It.
Passed Unanimously
When Poindexter introduced that
measure. local opponents OF Poin-
dexter printed articles sent from
Washington. n. C.. by their cor.
respondents, to the effect that the
bill had no chance OF passage. IL
not only passed. but passed unani.
mously.
When u left tho senate. however.
and fell into the hands OF Congress.
man Humphrey. who r. an opponent
OF government ownership. the Poin-
dexter bill fell by the wayEidc.
Humphrey either allowed II to-
slumber In the house naval commit
tee purposeiy or was incapable OF
exerting any influence over that
committee. II was probably the lat
ter. for later. when Humphrey arose
TO speak on some other matter OF
coast defense. one OF the congress
men joked him about being afraid
OF attack on his submarine post.
office site.
subterfuee Measure
Thus the Poindextcr bill. passed
unanimously by the senate. was not
brought 10 a vote In the house.
Senator poindexter. however.
kept buslly at the project
When the general naval bill
came up In the house. which in.
cluded appropriations for all the
navy yards. Congress Padgett OF
Tennessee put thru n motion APP
propriatlng $4,000, 900 for the equip
ment OF several navy yards. with
the proYlso that the secretary Of
the navy should not equip any yard
until he had exhausted all efforts
to get the authorized construction
OF battlcships done at private
yards.
This, OF course. meant that no
navy yard would be equipped for
battleship construction. as any pri-
vate yard, no matter how busy II
may be. would gladly expand its
plant to take on the big government
contracts
II was this subterfuge measure
which Humphrey supported.
Meant Nothing
After rccitlng the foregoing. the |
Bellingham Progressive Journal
sums II up as follows:
I'm this shape the bill went back |
to the senate. The legislation was
almost worthless TO Puget sound. |
The secretary could do nothing for |
Puget sound until he had exhausted |
all efforts 20 get tho work done Mt |
private yards. And before he could |
assign a battleship for construc-
ton at Puget sound, he would have |
to turn down the boosters and 20 |
litlcal hackers OF six other navy |
yards, who would want TO come |
first Under that amendment the
Brcmerton navy yard would have |
gotten Just exactly NOTHING"
Senator Weeks Opposes
The fiasco IN the house had It's |
effect In the senate. Altho II had |
passed tho Poindexter bill unanl-
mously before. Senator Weeks, a
close friend OF Humphreys. devel-
oped opposition to any construction
of ships at navy yards. He wanted
them all constructed Mt private
Yards. Senator Weeks had received |
seven votes Of the fourteen dele |
gates OF Washington for president
at the Chicago convention. lie |
stood strong with the Humphrey |
element In this state.
polndexter Kills Joker
But Poindetxer was able to cope |
with him. Poindexter caused to be
added TO the naval bill a provision
which. In addition to making the
money Immediately available, re-
auired the secretary OF the navy TO
equip tho Puget sound and other
navy yards at once. and eliminated |
the pernicious clause requiring the |
TO first consult private /
yards.
Senator Weeks still fought the I
measure. and called Il up on a mo
ton to reconsider. Again Senator
PolndeYter defeated Weeks at
tempt 10 kill off government con-
strucuon OF battleshipA