The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-04-26
House Republicans Defeated In
Effort to Force Record Vote
On big Army" Issue !
MEYER LONDON ACTS
WITH DEMOCRATS
Republican Leader Mann De-
clares Country Should Pre-
pare for War Now and Re
duce Eorce When Clou o
Roll By

Washington, April 25,--After a Bit
ter wrangle. in which the House Dem
ocrats, aided by Meyer London. New
York Socialist, bested the Republican
minority, the Hay Chamberlain army
bill was sent today to conference
committee of the House and Senate.
Speaker Clark named Representa-
tives Hay, Dent and Kahn as the
House conferees The Senate con-
ferees will be Senators Chamberlain,
Beckham. Broussard, Warren and
DUPONT, who are 'classed as big
army men.
Parliamentary maneuvering pre-
vented q vote in the House on the
big army" issue as embodied in the
Senate bill. despite the efforts of the
House Republicans to force record
vote on the proposal to increase the
regular army to 100000 men.
For nearly a week the Republicans
had successfully fought to prevent the
army bill going to conference COM
mittee-the final stage of it's legisla-
tive progress. Republican Leader
Mann had avoided the Democratic
steam roller on several different oc-
casions. Today the Democratic lead
ers produced a special gag rule to
submit the measure to conference. BY
a vigorous fight. in which the Repub-
licans had enforced the concession
that the minority" even after the gag
rule had been adopted. should have
the right to move to recommit the
bill and thus force vote on the big
army provision Of the Senate measure
In the midst of parliamentary struE
gle such as the House has seldom
seen In recent years Speaker Clark
held that the Republicans were not
entitled to the right 10 make the dis
puted motion, and recognized Repre-
sentative London. the Socialist mem.
bers. The Speaker held that the So
cialist representative was the only
member on the floor who was op-
posed TO the preparedness bill. The
London motion contained none Of the
big army" proposals. which the Re
puhlicans planned TO force to n vote.
and ii was defeated. 24s to l., only
Representative London voting for It,
Ruling Arouscs Storm.
The speakers ruling aroused a
storm Of opposition from the Re
puhlicans. Representative Mann
aroused the House by saying:
This is an unfair ruling"
The Speaker had difficulty in re-
storing order. after the outburst which
greeted his recognition or representa-
tive 7ondon.
THE Republican minority" saio
Representative Mann. rs real min
ority--not a one-man party"
The debate on the rule to send the
army bill to conference developed a
serious discussion OF preparedness.
Republican Leader Mann was vigor-
GUS IN his denunciatlon Of the Demo-
c"atic policy.
Ought To Prepare tor the Worst
II want to keep ont of war he
said. ~ am opposed even to breaking
off diplomatic relations with any Of
the countries at war. I had ratnes
spend a little money on an army now
than to spend oceans OF American
blood later. ] think We ought to pre-
pare for the worst now We should
prepare men who are ready and train
ed TO fight before we pour out the
blood OF the volunteers, unprepsred
and unframed. An army of ESQ. 900
men is not excessive. We are foolish
not to provide II. When the war clouds
pass we may reduce 1t. but now we
should prepare,
Representative Mckenzie. Of Tlli-
nois. Republican member of the
Military Affairs Committee. asserted
that efforts to recruit the regular
army up to full war strength under
recent legislation had failed utterly.