Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-26
NO ROLL CALL IN SENATE
ON WAR DEFICIENCY BILL
ss,ooo,0OO.OOO Appropriation Meas.
ure Passes After Brief Debate
and Goes to Conference.
WARNING GIVEN By MARTIN
democratic Floor Leader Urges Sharp
scrutiny of What He Terms En-
travagant and Almost Reckless De-
partmcntal Estimates.
tBy Associated press.I

lBy Associated Press.
WASHINGTON. September 25.-with-
out roll call and after brief debate,
the Senate late to-day passed the
so'ooo,oOO.0O0 war deficiency appropri-
alton bill. Nearly $500. 900 was
aoded TO the measure as 1t came from
the House. and 1t now goes to confer
ence.
Items for many millions of dollars
were approved with only a handful of
senators present and without discus
sion as when the bill pnssed the House
unanimously a week ago. Minor pro-
visions only evoked debate.
senator Martin, chairman OF the Ap.
preparations Committee. and Demo-
cratic floor leader. urged sharp scrutiny
oil what he termed extravagant and
almost reckless departmental esti-
mates. he said appropriations during
hHe months OF war would reach about
s2o.ooo.000.0 900. and expressed concern
lest next years total might be $50, O0O.-
100000
We are compelled to shut our eyes
and appropriate a great deal rather
than hamper our men on the battle
field said the Senator. But our duty
to scrutinize these estimates grows
every hour. We must give every dol
lar necessary to prosecute the war but
our duty Is to trim down extravagant
and useless appropriations. The gov
ernment's finances are In a perilous
situation.
Are We going to impoverish the
country? Yes. IL necessary TO win this
war. but in Gods name don't let's spend
folv
over the Democratic leaders oppo-
sition the Senate adopted. IS to &c. an
amendment by Senator Robinson. ap-
propriating 100000 for the employ
ment bureau OF the Department of
Labor.
TOTALS s7,oaI 1000
AS IT GOES TO CONFERENCE
AS II goes TO conference, the bill
totals s7.93l.400.000. including S2.3S5.-
100000 of contract authorizations. and
Senate committee amendments totalng
S71s,000,o0o It's principal Items in
clude:
Shipping Board. $685., 200, 900: cash for
the construction program authorized,
sl.74e.oOo,coo army and navy cmer-
gency funds of sloo,00O.0QO each;
construction OF torpedo boat destroyers.
s225.00o.o00: to start "A $3.50 900 pro-
gram; army transportation, S4l3, 900,
600: fortitications, Si.495, 900, 600 APP
propriated. and .eT5.00o.GO0 more au-
thorized: army subsistence, s32O. 00o,-
600: clothing and camp equipment,
S35f,000.000; engineer operations, $lol.-
100000: medical department. l2s,-
100000: pay increases for foreign SER
vice. s31.0o0000: horses. s4s.00O.0 900:
barracks. s4e.I00.O0o: ordnance stores
and ammunition. s732.00o.00O: small
arms. target practice, SSs.6T6.000: ord
nan stores and supplies. Sll3.5o0, 900:
manufacture OF arms. s32.690000: au-
tomato machine guns. Sli3.52O, 900
with s220.211.000 additional authorized:
armored motor cars sac, 100000. with
S15.s5o. 600 additional authorized: naval
aviation. Si5.oO0.00o: naval ammuni-
ton, s4o146.00o. with sl5.n00.O0o more
authorized: naval batteries. 10000 600
and s2S,o00o00 more authorized: naval
reserve ordnance. s47,5oo,0OO, and sl7.-
100000 more authorized. and naval
training camps. sI2.60O.n00.
With the understanding that 1t would
he perfected and rcinserted in confer
ence. the Senate struck out an appro-
priation Of s1,240.Oo0 for civilian train
Ing camps. After tart debate on the
controversy between Secretary Daniels
and the Navy League officers. Senator
Curtis's amendment authorizing tho
navy head to accept contributions from
the leagues women's auxiliary was de-
feated.