The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-02
SENATE STILL IS | MARKING TIME ON THE MILITARY BILL
No Indication of When Work Will Begin on Mass of Amendments = Object
 to Militia Feature

l Washington April 1.-The Senate de. bated the army increase bill again all day today without any indication as tc when work would begin on the mass l Of pending amendments. As vet Chairman Chamberlain of the military committee | has made no effort to limit general dis cussion, which began yesterday and il probably will continue days at least be | fore amendments are taken up
 | Senator Borah told the Senate he had found an insurmountable constitutional ! barrier against the proposal in the bill | for Liberalization of the National Guard 1 He made many legal citations to support his contention that under the constitll- | tion Congress has no power to enforce the discipline it has authority to prescribe Should any state refuse to appoint officers or to train national guardsmen, he said Congress would be without any recourse It could neither provide for the training Of the guardsmen itself nor compel the state to act, and it could not empower the President to appoint officers or conl- pei the state to appoint them. . DISAGREE WITH BORAH Senator Cummins and Senator Lewis Sharply disagreed with Senator Borah. Senator Lewis attacked the Senate bill provision for a force of federal yolun-
 teers, saying it was aimed at the National Guard, and would destroy it if enacted. The Illinois senator asserted that the am-
 bltion of regular ramy officers to rise to deserved promotions was wholly respon
 sible for the volunteer army proposal Be- cause the nation was resolved not to maintain large standing army and since the constitution barred the graduates of
 West Point from commands in the Ma
 tional Guard, he said, they naturally sought an avenue of escape from their limitations.
 Senator Pomerene defended his amend
 ment proposing creation of a National Guard section of the army general staff
 While regular officers looked with dis favor on the guard, he said, no accurat te report as to the guards condition and
 fitness could be expected from them. Only by appointing National Guard of
 ficers to the staff. he added, could the full use of the state soldiers be assured.
 Senator Brandegee added to the mass of amendments now pending pro- posal to make the maximum peace strength of the army 250,000 instead of 1SO,000, as proposed in the bill Sem ator Gore submitted as an amendme ent his bill proposing that a military training course be provided for any high school with an attendance of more than 50 boys above 16 years of age, the government to pay two-fifths of the salary of military instructor. More than 100000 boys could be brought under training in this way, he said.
 AMENDMENT BY SMITH
 Senator Smith of South Carolina of fered as an amendment the measure reported yesterday from the agricul- tural committee appropriating $15,- 000,000 for the erection of five govern ment water power plants for produc- tion of nitrate and authorizing the President to designate water power sites. He proposes to urge his amend ment as a substitute for the Under wood amendment authorizing an inves- tigation as to the best ayailab ble sites and most advantageous method of pro ducing nitrate " TM
 Another feature of national prepar- edness was considered today by the House commerce committee with Sec retary Redfield testifying in support of the lighthouse appropriation bill The secretary said the 25 seagoing buoy boats now in service would be available as mine layers or sweepers in time of war. Their drag equipment for locating pinnacle rocks. he added, would be invaluable for mine sweeping or to trap hostile submarines.
 The House naval committee was not in session. Secretary Daniels is expect ed to conclude his testimony Monday when the hearings will be brought to close. Chairman Padgett hopes to have the navy bill before the House two weeks later.