Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-15
TO MODIFY PLANS
FOR POWER PLANT
Opponents Make Slight Gain
When Senate Adopts Phe-
Ian Resolution.
SEEK TO HARMONIZE
WATER FRONT PROJECTS
Secretary of Treasury Is Asked to
Alter Specifications to Improve
Potomac Parks Beauty.

The opponents OF the proposed
central power plant for the gov
ernment, who believe the plant
will be a blot on the landscape
OF the National Capital as at pres
ent designed, today won a partial
victory i'll the Senate. A resolu-
ton offered by Senator Phelan
OF California, providing that the
Secretary OF the Treasury be re-
quested to modify the plans for
the power plant as far as possible
to harmonic better with the park
commission plan for the inn
provement of the commercial
water front of Washington, was
adopted by the Senate.
This resolution was offered
yesterday afternoon by Senator
Phelan following the adoption OF
the conference report on the
urgent deficiency bill, which
struck out the Newlands amend
ment prohibiting the construc-
ton of the power plant until after
the plans had been approved by
the fine arts commission and the
President. Senator Phelan's
resolution at that time went over
on objectioAof Senator Martin OF
Virginia. 1t came up in the regu-
lar order of business today, and
Senator Phelan moved its adop-
ton.
Support From Senator aallinger.
Senator Gallinger Of New Hampshire
spoke in favor Of the adoption of the
resolution, although he had opposed
the Newlands amendment yesterday.
Senator Bryan Of Florida suggested
that the resolution should first be sent
to the proper Senate committee for
report. The Senate, however, agreed
to the resolution.
BY a vote of forty-four to twenty-one
the Senate late yesterday afternoon voted
down the proposition to hold up the con-
struction Of the proposed government
central power plant on the site seiected
on 14th street southwest
The vote was given to sustain the con-
ference report on the urgent def1ciency
BILL in which Senator Newlands' amend
ment, providing that the construction OF
the power plant be delayea , ah.h INT p..ir a..er
dent had passed upon the plans. was
stricken from the bill.
Senator Newlands proposes to continue
the fight against the erection OF the
plant along the lines now laid down,
which he declares would mar the beauty
Of the capital.
Will Press His Resolution.
He has a resolution similar to his
amendment now pending before the IL
brary committee OF the Senate, and he
will seek to have the committee report
the resolution favorably to the Senate,
SO that he may get vote on that meas
ure alone and not connected with the
items OF an appropriation bill
Throughout the afternoon Senator
Newlands urged the Senate to give
heed to the advice of the architects and
engineers of the country who have
warned against the central power plant
as designed. Senator Martin Of Vir-
ginia. chairman of the appropriations
Committee, took issue with Senator
Sewls nds and sprung surprise when
he had read to the Senate a letter from
President Wilson to himself saying
that he, the President, did not consider
it would be wise to delay the construc-
tion of the power plant.
How the Senators Voted.
The vote on the adoption OF the con-
ference report was as follows:
Ayes-Bankhead. Beckham. Broussard.
gryan, Chamberlain, Clark of Wyoming,
Curtis, Dillingham;. Fletcher. Gallinger.
Harding, Hardwick, Hollis, Hughes.
Husting, Johnson Of South Dakota.
Kern, Lane. Martin, Norris, Overman,
Pittman, Pomerene, Ransdell. Reed, Rob-
inson. SALISBURY. Shafroth, Sheppard,
Sherman. Shields. simmons, Smith Of
Arizona, Smith Of Georgia, Smith OF
Maryland, Smoot, Stone. Swanson.
Thomas, Thompson, Tillman, Underwood,
Walsh and Warren.
Nays-Borah, Brandegee, Clapp, Colt. du
Pont Kenyon, La Toilette. Lodge, Nc
Lean, MARITIME, Myers, Nelson, Newlands,
oliver, Page. Phelan. Poindexter. Ster-
ling, Sutherland, Williams and Works
Senator Phelan Of California, who sup
ported Senator Newlands' contention,
tried to get the Senate to adopt a reso-
luton asking the Secretary of the Treas
ury to have the plans for the power
plant modified as far as possible to meet
the approval of the fine arts commission.
Senator Martin. however. objected to
consideration of the resolution, which
was sufficient to prevent its being taken
up.
The Senate then voted to further in
| sist upon its amendments to the de-
fciency bill still in dispute. and ap-
pointed conferees.
Hennen Jennings Advocates
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