The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-16
Chairman Fitzgerald Reads
Riot Act to Opposition and
Demands Action
AMENDMENT ADOPTED TO
ENLARGE SHIP PROGRAM
Friends of Move for War E-x-
penditures' Committee Bob
Up Again---Sherley Explains
Larger Items in Measure

| Washington, Sept. I5.--Irritated be
cause OF wrangling over minor details
that today held up the urgent de
+ fciency bill. Chairman Fitzgerald. OF
/ the appropriations committee. tonight
announced a gag to choke off fur
/ Their delays.
! Monday by tradition is unanimous
consent" day In the house, being util-
/ lied to pass bills that apply locally
4 bills that are of interest only to the
congressman that introduce them
Fitzgerald before adjournment
asked that the bill he considered Mon
! day. A storm Of objection broke
loose. several representatives declar-
I ing they had bills that should he put
/ through
I Fitzgerald replied that no bill would
pass nv unanimous consent Monday
because he would object to every last
one Of them with this threat he
consent day" and ezpedidng the ur-
gent deficiency bill He hopes TO have
The Bill amended and passed by Mon
r4ay night or Tuerdav n tire iateSt.
Uncle SAINTS Financial Statas
Representative swager Sher,ey to-
dsy gave some side lights on the W
gent deficiency appropriation now
pending.
"Of A total appropriation ~ ST.
1874 GEO 600 and Of estimated revenues
/ from taxation o. s4e6T. 900 and
assuming that tn aaefaGtt We HOW con-
tenn plate Of s2,501, 100000 rs met by
bond issue and not by additional tax
alton" he pointed cut, 'the percent
age Of revenues raised by taxation To
those raised ny bond issues always
excluding bond issues 70 provide
funds for loans 10 allies, IS 3s,5 per
cent"
Senator Smoot, OF Utah. Ind IRE
viously estimated that "a Fer cant ef8
the funds are being raised by taxa
ticn. Representative sherley then
went on to show how the sG5 per
cent compares with taxation hy the
allies.
In England the percentage raised
by taxation was IS per cent. he said.
In France, 14.s per cent: in Germany.
I4,b, and in Canada, per cent.
Despite the fact that this country
raises more money by taxation than
amy OF the allies, legislators mux not
be afraid, Mr., sherley said. to con-
IhQS the policy
larger Items Of EXPENSE
Turning to some Of the larger items
OF expenses. MIR. SherIey said:
These vast sums that are carried
In this bill are due TO two or three
main causes, First, we are eniargiug
the building program for ships enor-
mousiv. We had authorized q pro-
gram that contemplated an expendi-
ture Of less than billion. We are
r4c ~ sx{-
templates finally an expenditure little
short OF s2,o0e. 900. 900
Then the ordnance people came |
with estimates that ran UP TO some 1
thing over one and three.ouarter bill !
lion dollars. Part Of that was rep
resented tn an increased need Of /
equipment for the first million men. |
not anticipated at the time the first |
estimates were submitted. OF course, I
the larger part OF Il was due to maxi
ing provision for the equipment Of, !
second million men"
Shortly after Sherleys speech the /
house passed the amendment adding
1895. 1000. 900 to the bill for the ship /
ping program. This amendment adds :
$500. o00,o for fnishinv ships now }
chase OF ships and $4,000, 600 for
new shtrs; $50. 900 900 for the pur-
chase OF ships and. $4,000 600 for
the building OF wards and plants 10
produce vessels II passed from that
amendment TO another adding S93s.-
900 70 the state department budget. 4
Thereafter discussion degenerated
into&a wranEle which consumed nrost
OF the afternoon, II was opened hyi
Sisson, OF Mississippi, who brought up
again the question OF war experdi-
lures committee to supervise expendi-
lures by executive departments.
Heckled by Queries,
Chairman Fitzgerald and other ma
jority members OF the appropriations
committee were heckled with queries
on the subject The chief bone OF ].
contention was the government meth
Cd OF procuring rifles II developed
s4s each for rifles, whereas it Tor
merly made them at about si3. Sew
eral members tried to blame the high
err figure on poor business methods i
The deal by which the war depart
ment acquired rifle making machines
from the British government for So
600, 900 that had cost SIS. 900, 600 was
attacked, Later the plan to allow
contractors per cent for investment L
and 10 per cent for. profit was de-
nounced. Both were made the sub i
iect of repeated declarations that the
house should demand war expendi- Il
lures committee to work with the
war ana navy departmen and see
II II could not help produce better
business methods. Chairman Fitz-
gerald finally lost patience. I,
II have seen nothing in this con-
gress to lead me to believe 1t could
10 any better than the executive Is
aetne," he declared 4- p
He. pointed out that the men adj
vising the war and navy Departmental
ire big business men who know their I
1fv~> - + Z
are certainly better fitted to work
with the executive department than
-onsress could ~ expected to be. he