The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1917-02-08

ANTl.AIRCRAFT
GUNS PROVIDED
The BslI Carries Total Appre-
prist.on - s247 .ooo. 600 fof
Ffotestion

MaahAAHtaa ksh Ne saaEess
= ssfe added la national Asfsaas 20.
preparation measures ~ Congress
Tuesday snd plans ssfs made e pul
t.f gush HBfsiy othef provisions re-
4Hessed by the administration q pre-.
pare the country faf vhatsysf may
fallsw the break with Germany
The House, burfyiag the annual
naval bill toward completion. wrote
into II additional appropriations to.
falling sib.0Bn.00b Of which more
than s. 1000 600 IL for ammunition
for merchant auxiliariea and nearly
S2,000.000 for antI aircraft guns 10
defend naval stations. Three sepa-
rate administration bills, designed 70
expedite naval construction and aid
in developing aerouautics. were in.
troduced for consideration before the
end Of the week
In the senate an executive session
TO consider nominations occupied
virtually the entire day. but bill
was put through increasing the pen.
alties for making threats against the
president Of the United States, and
the republicans agreed at an infor-
NAL conference to support a plan for
authorization Of 100 submarines at
cost Of $4,0O0,000 in addition to
those provided for in the regular
building program.
The executive session blocked SEN
ator Stones plan to call for a vote
today on his resolution giving sena-
torial approval of the break with
Germany and he said he would call
it up tomorrow. The republican
leaders will support the proposal, but
some senators are expected to oppose
it, and dramatic debate is in pros
peet
While the House was debating the
naval bill the military committee
brought in the annual army appro-
priation measure, carrying $247,-
100000 and including provision re-
quested by Secretary Baker yester.
day under which the full membership
Of the army general staff may be
brought to Washington in emergen-
cies to work on war problems.
| Among the largest items for new
Equipment are authorizations Of ss,-
100000 for aviation, 1900, 900
| for equipment and stores Of the re-
serve corps and S5,50O,000 for au-
tomato machine guns for the army
and national guard Debate on the
bill viii begin late this week.
The annual Notifications bill, the
most advanced of the trio of big an
nual defense supply measures, neared
completion yesterday when the Sem
ate approved the conference report
embodying a provision against pur.
chase of any supplies at price %
per cent in excess of the cost Of man
ufacture by the government. The
House is expected to approve the re-
port in a few days and then the bill
will go to the president.
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.
An espionage bill. similar to that
introduced in the Senate yesterday
by Senator 0verman, was reported
favorably by the House judiciary
committee and bill extending for
one year the life of the federal ma.
rine war risk insurance bureau was
passed by the House. Under the
+ present law the bureau would expire
t next September.
2 OF the trio of administration bills
5 presented in the House to strength
g en- the naval arm of defense in tbs
: present emergency, the navy depart
e attaches particular Importance &
one which would empower the presi
dent to take over to public service
= when necessary any manufacturing
i plant which refuses to give prece
n dence to government orders for yes
a sells or other material.