The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
NAVY MEN
TIE UP NAVAL BILL
Appropriations May Not Reach
House for Action Until
Late in Year.
DETAILS WORRY WITNESS

v.autNGroS Jan. 17.--Lcaders of
.,o ,i,,sc are fearful that unless the
committee on Naval Affairs speeds up
tho naval appropriation bill shs meas
urc cannot he reported until Iate In
.,e su,nmcr. The committee. began II:
,o,rlnss ON the bill two weeks Z 20
IA, Rear Admiral Stanford was the
ers, witness called. i~ndicatichs are
.bs, his testimony will not be concluded
until the end of the week. II things
continue as at present the prediction
10 mad, that tho naval bill will not be
,ss.ed before the end of the current
fiscal year, neceSsitating the passage
NJ a io.ut resolution continuing appro-
nriatlons Oh the basis OF the last naval
al. This would materially delay plans
.or naval expansion 80 urgently recon-
merded ny the Administration.
Tho DELAY on the annual budget In
IN. House Ndval Committee has been
Jue ;n obstructive tactics i~nterposed
lbs little navy members.
rlis brigade has as SIS leaders Rep.
,..sDtatives Galway OF Texas. nensl"N
~ Missouri and Gray of Indiana. These
e'uhers have shown IN almost un-
,ann, interest In yards and docks.
They have asked questions of the chief
n the bureau Of yards aud docks that
ns has found 1t impossible TO answer.
while Chairman radg tt and other
member Of the committee have sat
eu.vinG their nails trying to th'nk up
yays of bringing the farce to an end.
The dawdlinC process was continued to-
dsy aud at the conclusion of the hear
.,s Chairman Padgett left the room
showing great WEAKNESS.
The witness. Uccklcd.
To-day's hearing was marked by a
srat between Representative Brittcn or
Illinois, Republican member of the conf
mf'tee, and Admiral Stanford over the
Charleston Navy Yard. the pc; Gov
.rnmcnt institution of Senator Tillman
81 South Carolina. chairman Of the
Senate Naval Committee. Mr.. nritten
repeated his charge that the Depart
ment had built docks at Charleston
Ing enough for battlcships. whereas
congress expressly stipulated that the
ard should be equipped to berth tor
redo boats only. Mr.. Britten t. sisted
Lat politics had caused the change
IN plan and he called OF Admiral stan
gord IN substantiate this charge. Ii
was brought out hat In recon: years
tl.50,oo0 has been expended IN the
yard.
Representative Britten said that Adj
m'rsl Stanford had odd him privately
,ha, he protested against the change in
r'ars ny which battleship berths were
installed Al the yard. lie added that
ne officer had been muzzlcd by Secre-
;ary Daniels and was stopped from d.
,u,cirg information sought by the COM
mit,ee.
Must I stand here and be accused Of
giving the committee false Information 80
asked the witness with some heat,
Defends the Admiral.
GlsriuE at Representative Rritten.
Chairman Fadge't observed Il am sure
the Admiral is trying TO Giye the com
m!ttce all the information he can and
s not eyading questions"
Admiral Stanford said that the
Charleston yard had not been n.ted W
'or battleships and that he never had
seen any statement OF department policy
wh.ca assumed that to hc the case. Hc
INSISTED that 50 far a. he knew Charles
Ton would he used as a torpedo station
and not for ba~ttleships. II was brought
'u' that the water at Charleston is So
shallow as 10 preclude docking OF any
bu. he smaller OF the second line bate
sh.s
A plll Was introduced in the House
to-day by Chairman Padgett designed &c
Increase the output OF naval officers AT
TIE Naval Academy. The bill, has been
'uil-sed by the Administration and will
ave 'Nc support of Speaker Clark. |,
provides that aCh Senator. Representa-
I've and delegate in Congress shall! APP
point three m%idshipmeu a year instead
NJ fuAt gpI chat tu addition thnra sh.i
te ten appointed at large by the Presi.
dent fifteen from the enlisted personnel
're from Porto Rico and two from the
n s.r,., - ,'.I,,rIfa