The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-08-16
HOUSE ACCEPTS THE !
SENATE INCREASES
Naval Bill Back to Conference
On Minor Details-Soo
Ready For President

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15.-CongreSsr
virtually completed the National de-;
fense program tonight by finally ap-s
proving the great increases. in naval
construction and personnel written
into the naval bill and urgently sup;
ported by the war department. sf
The house accepted the building
program 10 which its conferees on the
measure had refused to agree, by a.
tote of 2S3 to 81 with seven OF tho
members present not voting. The
personnel increases, on which there
also was a disagreement In confer;
ence, were approved without record
vote.
The personnel and construction sec.
tionS, which already have the approval
of the senate, authorize an increase IN
enlisted men to 74,700 and the build.
ing of 157 war vessels within the nexc.
three years, with four battle cruisers
and four battleships included among
the ships for 1917. Previously the
house had refused to adopt a continu.i
ing building program, had authorized
only five capital ships, all OF them
battle cruisers, and had provided Tor
a personnel Of only $1,000. !:
On several less important sections,
including appropriations for improve:
ment of navy yards, the house insisted
on its disagreement to senate lncreas-
es and voted to send the bill back to,
conference for settlement OF these
points. An early agreement Is expect
ed and the measure may be sent TO-
the President for. his signature within;
a week. ne
Secretary Daniels issued b state-l
ment tonight pointing out that th9:
building authorizations in the bill were;
the greatest ever passed in any coun.s
try and would give the United States.a
in the opinion OF the naval authors:
world. He declared the measure no
complete and nearly perfect that 1t
will stand as a model for all navy bills:
for future legislators"
Vote Was Non Partisan.
The vote by which the house &C.;
cepted the senate, increase LII thu
building program was non parus3n.
the majority OF both Democrats and
Republicans voting in the affirmative:
OF the fifty-one members who voted
in the negative there were 35 Demo-:
Gratis, Is Republicans and one Social:
ist, as follows: 81
Democrats: Ayres, Bailey. Black,
Blackmon, Buchanan, OF Illinois; Bur.t
nett, Connolly. Cox, Dies: Doohttis.4
Garrett. Gray, Harding, Selyering, Hil.;
lard, Huddleston and Johnston or
Kentucky; Kitchen, McClinuc. Page;
Of North Carolina; Randall Shallen:
berger, Shouse, Sisson. Slayden. Steele
of Iowa: Taggart, Tayenner, Taylor; Ok:
Arkansas: Thomas, Thompson, TIL;
man; Van Dyke, Watkins and Webb.
Republicans: Anderson. Campbell.
Cramton, Davis of Minnesota; Dllons
Ellsworth, Haugen, Helgsen, Hollinge,
worth, kinkaid, Lenroot. MondelS
Morgan, of Oklahoma; Nelson and
Young, of North Dakota. y
Socialist: London. -
During debate on the building pro-
gram the Republicans insisted that
they had led the way toward increases
and that the administration was mol
entitled 10 all of the credit. The timn
allotted opponents Of the big program
was controlled by Democratic leader
who charged the Democfata'
with a sharp change Of front.
kitchin Protests f.
1.-TWO months ago the Democt1to,
urged by. the administration. were ask.
ed to vote against The wild reckless
extravagant appropriations proposed
by the Republicans" said Mr.. Kitch:l
in. 81 denounced the Republican pro-
gram as reckless criminality. Yet.nows
the chairman Of the committee, tho
CONTINUED on Pags Tsa.) ..;S