Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-05
HOUSE REPUBLICANS
70 ATTACK POLICY
EMBARRASSING QUESTIONS RE-
eARDINe PREPAREDNESS
PROGRAM TO BE ASKED.
ANTI MII CON nEMNcpArS
ANTI WILSON DEMOCRATS
TO SUPPORT MINORITY
Seek to Make Campaign
Material Out Of Administration Pro.
gram-Hope to Show Disagreement
Between Secretary Of Navy and His
Advisers,

Washington, Jan. 5. - republican
members Of the house committee on
naval affairs are preparing to move at
a meeting early next week for public
hearings on the entire administration
naval construction program. Further
more, they declare themselves positive
OF enough democratic support on the
committee to open the doors.
In the committee during the last
congress Chairman Lemuel Padgett
and his regular democratic colleagues
objected to open hearings and sue
ceeded in closing the doors much OF
the time altho Congressman Hobson,
Gerry and Lee, democrats, even then
We're crosswise with the administration
program, which they regarded as in
sufficient and voted frequently with
the minority.
Expect Paeifsts' Support.
This year the situation is reversed.
The administration is committed to
program Of preparedness, but Hobson.
Gerry and Lee are all gone from the
committee. The republicans this time
expect to get their support from the
opposite extreme, the democratic pa
citists in the committee, who favor the
least possible naval or military ex'
penditure. Congressman Hensly. OF
Missouri; Buchanan, Of Illinois; Gray,
of Indiana, and Galloway, of Texas, are
among the democrats they count in to
vote for publicity in the committee
and for almost any other measure that
seems likely to reduce the Wilson pro-
gram.
The committee stands thirteen demo-
Gratis and eight republicans. *.
Thus even these four votes named
will give twelve of the twenty-one
votes in the committee, more than
majority.
The situation in the committee on
naval affairs is illustrative Of the sort
of fight President Wilson will be up
against in his effort to put thru the
program. ,..,
To Emharrass Administration.
There Is more or less difference Of
opinion among the republicans in the
committee 1t is. stated, but the minor
ity Is taking no chances of any early
split in its own ranks. They have SIM
ply put off any attempt to agree
themselves on a detail opposi-
ton program. They are 'unquestion-
ably united on the one point of desire
to make the president all possible trou-
BILE and contribute to his defeat at the
hands Of the electors next November.
For the time being at least this motive
for unity is sufficient.
The plan of the republicans is to sit
back as critics Of the Wilson program.
Thru the public hearings the white
light of publicity will be turned on ev-
cry phase of conduct Of the nava. de-
partment under the present admins.
tration.
Would Stir Up Trouble.
Disagreement between the secretary
of the navy and his expert advisers
will be developed If possible by grilling
OF witnesses by the minority members
Of the committee.
Meanwhile the republicans will keep
close track Of the development OF new
veins of public opinion among the
voters back home. They will seek to
discover just what degree of naval
the most people favor
and endeavor to put just this degree of
forward at the 'psycholo-
gical moment, as the minority program.
While public hearings In the COM
mittee are distasteful to. the Wilson
ahey are declared to be
even more so to the naval experts who
will be called on to give testimony.
These sharps have enjoyed pleasant
immunity in the past thru a rule gem
orally allowed by which they could ex-
clude from the printed record such of
their testimony as they believed would
prove damaging II allowed to reach the
eyes of foreign naval attaches.