New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
Senator Bankhead DEM
Says War Would Have
Followed Law.
PRESENT MEASURE
MEETS HIS APPROVAL
Former Boilers Think Proposal
Is Not Good, but Will
Do No Harm.
Hmm Tic rrihnnc Rureaul


Washington, Aug. 12.-The wilson
Administration would have dragged the
United States into war if it had passed
the shipping bill last year and pro-
ceeded with the purchase of interned
German and Austrian liners, as intend
cd bv the bills origiDators, Senator
Bankhead. of Alabama. declared IN the
Senate to-day.
Senator Bankhead was one OF the
seven boilers last year who, led oy
Senator Clarke, Of Arkansas, defeated
the McAdoo ship bill. His speech to-
day was a singing arraignment OF the
tsubbornness which characterized the
Administration in that fight. He called
attention. item by item, to the changes
which had been made in the bill since,
showing that virtually every change
made was demanded by the boilers
more than seventeen months ago.
"If the concessions now made IN TINS
bill had been made in the last Con-
eress," he said, Legislation would have
been passed last March instead of dur
ing this session, and those of us VINO
supported the motion of the senator
from Arkansas (Mr. Clarke to recon-
nit the bill for the purpose OF making
The very changes in it that nave now
been made in the pending bill. submit
that our position in this matter has
been absolutely and speedily vindi-
Gated.
Bankhead TO Vote for Bill.
"Since the Objectionable features OF
the bill considered in the last Con-
rress have been eliminated, ana al
the suggestions then made by the op-
ponents of the bill have been moor
porated. speaking for myself, | shall
unbesitatingly vote for the bill, and |
believe | speak for the other Demo
Gratis with whom | was associated at
One of these Democrats, Senator
Camden. of Kentucky. has since gone
out of the Senate. The others are
O'Gorman. Clarke, Nardaman, HARD
wick and Hitchcock.
Questions directed to these Senators
show that Senator Bankhead not only
spoke for them, but had talked over
with them what he proposed to say 70,
day. All danger of bolt on the bill
at this session is now believed to have
been removed.
The former boilers frankly do not
believe the present bill is good, but on
the other hand they think that ITS
teeth have been drawn and that 1t VIII
not do any harm.
Denounces Purchase Feature.
1t will be remembered" said Sena-
for Bankhead, that one of the objec-
ticnable features, and perhaps the
most Objectionable, in last years bill
was found in the authority given the
board to purchase vessels, the only
limitation being that they should be,
ir the judgment Of the board, suitable
for the purposes Of the corporation
therein provided
"Trc board was left free to buy any
and every character of ve->l tfAJ
lrrrt DO tCndercd Il. including the IN
termed ships belonging to Germany and
Austria, caught in our ports when the
war broke out.
of believed then and believe now
that # that bill had become law and
these vessels had been purchased by
the United States and put under our
flag. and engaged in commerce betweon
this and foreign countries, war would
lave been the inevitable result, 90
such strained relations between TINS
government and the Allies as would
have absolutely demorallzed and de-
st~ovad ouy foreign commerce"