The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1917-02-07
COUNTRY is NOW
Being PUT ON A
FIGHTING BASIS
Congress Speeding Up Work on
Measures to Strengthen
National Defense
TO BUILD 100 SUBMARINES
Millions to Buy Ammunition for
Merchant Auxiliaries and
Add Shipping to Navy.


preparation measures in Congress to-
day and plans were made to put
through quickly other provisions re-
quested by the administration to pre-
pare the country for whatever may
follow the break with Germany.
The House, hurrying the annual ma
val bill toward completion, wrote in
to it additional appropriations total
ing $15,000,000, of which more than
$5,000,000 is for ammunition for mer-
chant auxiliaries and nearly $2,000,-
600 for anti-aircraft guns to defend
naval stations. Three separate addi-
tional bills designed to expedite naval
construction and aid in developing
aeronautics were introduced for con-
sideration before the end of the week.
In the Senate an executive session
to consider nominations occupied vir-
tually the entire day but bill was
put through increasing the penalties
for making threats against the Presi-
dent OF the United States and the Re-
publicans agreed at an informal con-
ference to support plan for authori-
zation Of 100 submarines in addition
to those provided for in the regular
building program.
While the House was debating the
naval bill the military committee
brought in the annual army appro-
priation measure, acrrying 7,OOO,-
600, and including a provision re-
quested by Secretary Baker yesterday
under which the full membership of
the army general staff may be
brought to Washington in emergency
to work on war problems. Among
the largest items for new equipment
are authorizations of $8,0O0,0OO for
aviation, $11,0O0,OOO for equipment
and stores of the reserve corps and
$5,500,000 for automatic machine
guns for the army and National
Guard. Debate on the bill will begin
late this week
Fortifications Bill.
The annual Notifications bill near
ed completion today when the Senate
approved the conference report en-
bodying a provision against purchase
of any supplies at price 25 per cent
in excess of the cost Of manufacture
by the government The House is
expected to approve the report in
few days.
Progress was made in committees
of both Houses on the new series of
laws dealing with conspiracies
against the United States and in the
interest of foreign governments.
OF the trio of administration bills
presented in the House today to
strengthen the naval army of defense
in the present emergency, the Navy
department attaches particular i'm
.bortance to one which would empower
1the President to take into public SER
svice when necessary any manufacture
ting plant which refuses to give pre-
Icedance to government orders for ves-
SseIs or other war material
TO Purchase Patents.
Another of the bills would author
ize a $150,000,000 bond issue to pro-
vide funds for jncaring quick deliv-
cry Of. la. vessels now under cen
struction and third would appro-
pirate $1,000,000 for government pur-
chase Of basic aeroplane and seaplane
patents.
Besides raising the anti-arcraft
gun appropriation from $1,0O0,0O0 to
$3,800,000 in order to supply three
for each naval station and the ap-
preparation for merchant auxiliary
ammunition from $1,500,000 to ST.
281 900, the House inserted in the bill
new item of $1,250,000 for machine
guns for ships of the navy and made
many other increases, including the
following:
Ordnance and ordnance stores from
$7602,000 to $685. 900; batteries for
merchant auxiiaries $4,367, 900 to $5,-
I781, 900, and ammunition for naval
ships $1,500,000 to $3,500,00O.
4 A provision for federal use of the
bcw commonwealth dry dock at Bos-
bn recommended by the Navy De-