The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-07
Great Naval Appropriation Bill
Amended In Order to En-
large Auxiliaries
EMERGENCY POWERS TO
BE VOTED PRESIDENT
May Draft All Munitions and
Shipyard Workers Into Ser
vice Of United States In Time
of Stand by President

' Washington. Feb. 6.--Both houses
Of congress put on fun steam today
in the race for complete military and
naval preparedness designed to meet
the needs OF the nation in an emer-
geucy speed up" was the motto and
generosity in appropriations the key
note activities Of both the senate and
house
Before the house was the great
naval appropriation bill. which, in the
form it left the committee. carried a
total Of 1851 100000. The house was
prompt with huge increases, About
s ). 600. zoe was added to the bill today,
/ The appropriate of sl.500,00 for
ammunition for merchant auxiliaries
was Increased TO s7.2s1. 941. The APP
2JToprts tor of 1876 II for bat
teries for the merchant auxiliaries was
increased to s5.1Sl.I14. A new item
! Of s1,250.000 for the purchase of ad-
ditionaI machine guns and equipment
was inserted, To the time of adjourn
ment the house was busy with the
con sidera ton Of the naval bill.
Immediately Available.
Chairman PadEetts in charge of the
measure. has prepared AIN amendment
to be inserted before the passage of
the bill and after the items OF the
measure have been approved, which
Will MAKE ali Oh the Hu%s tuIlu Api
naval preparedness available for i'm
mediate expenditure,
Chairman Padgett also introduced
bill authorizing the expenditure of
/ 5 $50. 900, o0G to secure the more ex-
peditious delivery of ships now under
J construction or authorized and the
material which they will require and
for the purchase or construction of
additional destroyers, submarine chas-
ers and other vessels which the presi-
| dent may direct Along with this bill
goes an item of s1.ooe,0o0 to obtain
all necessary basic patents to permit
| the government to rush work on Gre
! ating huge hydro-aeroplane aux
/ Hilary to the navy.
| The naval bill will probably pass
the house tomorrow. Such delay as
/ may arise. il was evident tonight.
could only be from the need of con-
sidering amendments making the APP
preparation more lavish Opposition
to the bill itself is negligible.
! Chairman Dent. of the house mill
/ tarv committee, today reported the
army appropriation bill. This meas
IRE carries s241061.10 The bill
contains an amendment which pro-
vides for the mobilization of the en-
tire general staff in Washington In
! time OF war or the imminence of war.
, Under the existing statute this con-
| centration is forbidden and only one
half OF the general staff may be de-
! tailed TO duty at the national capital.
/ Must Accept L. s. Orders.
! The acceptance of government or
4 ders for ships or war material Ia made
compulsory upon any firm or corpora
/ ton under another amendment TO the
naval bill prepared by Chairman
/ adgett Under the proposed law the
president is empowered to take full
J possession of any shipyard or NUM-
ton plant when the owners fail to
execute orders as laid down by the
secretary of the navy. Also, the presi-
dent is empowered to cancel any con-
tract at once and require that the
owner OF any plant turn over his out
put 10 the federal government. All
provisions of existing law regarding
hours OF labor of employees of the
United States or Of persons working
ior the United states under contract
iare waived. and finally. In time OF
actual war, the president is empow-
cred through the secretary of the
navy 10 draft every employee of ship
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