The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-12
FIGHT FOR NAVAL
 EXPANSION WON BY
 LEADERS IN HOUSE
(Continued from Page One)

three years programme adopted Tn
 1916
 During the day the House adopted
 by vote of 205 to 14S a resolution of
 the rules committee making the naval
 expansion policy legislation in order.
 thus overcoming parliamentary ad- vantage gained yesterday by Repub- lican Leader Mann. whose points of or der against the programme had been sustained by Representative Garrett of Tennessee, democrat, who was tempor- arily presiding.
 PARTY LINES IGNORED The votes on the resolution and on final approval of the, programme were strikingly similar. Neither was en- tirely on party lines, but the repub lcans on each roll call cast the ma iority of the votes in opposition. On formal approval of the programme, 125 republicans, with IA democrats, an in- dependent, a prohibitionist and so- cialist voted in the negative, while 1oI democrats with 35 republicans, an ln- dependent and a nonpartisan cast af- l firmative votes.
 Except for enc minor amendment, the building programme legislation was | adopted by the House as drafted by the naval committee. The amendment, by Representative Humphreys of Mississip- pi, democrat, provided that no construc- | tion authorized under the programme
 could be started before June 1. 1920, i'm stead of February 1, 1920, as provided by l the original bill.
 1 A legislative rider inserted in the House
 forbids the navy department from buying wireless stations or paying for those al-
 ready purchased out of funds carried in l the new bill. This amendment was
 adopted after action of the department | in purchasing stations and ship sets from the Marconi Wireless and Federal Tele- graph companies during the war had 1 been criticized
 DISLIKE BLUFF" POLICY | Opposition to the new building pro- gramme was voiced again today by Re- l publican Leader Mann and other republi-
 cans and democrats centered on the com { plaint that no declaration of policy l should be made. as,>''a bluff'' designed tc | influence the peace conference. Sup porters replied that President Wilson had asked for the declaration, and that the policy would be carried out if the peace l conference did not agree to limitation of | world armament.
 Representative Mondell of Wyoming i republican, criticized the policy of the big stick" which he said the President was furthering, as neither seemly noi 1 persuasive." He said the peace confer ence was aware that America could 1 build a big navy, so we need not try 1 to bluff the diplomats.
 l Representative Moore of Pennsylvania can, said sentiment Of the American peo- pie was for league of nations and thai to declare for a greater navy would bs dishonest and dishonorable. Similar argument was made by Representative Towner of Iowa, republican, who de- clared approval of the programme would 1 enable other nations to accuse the President of bad faith,'' when he ad vocated disarmament.
 Representative Moore of Pennsylvania said the question to be decided was no whether the House was for against a large navy. but whether it was for ol against the people. who had to pay thu bills, while Representative Johnson o 1 South Dakota asserted that the time haf come for Congress to adopt another declaration of independence and free it self from the mastery of the President. 1 Representative Mccullough of Ohi' said Congress still felt the sting of thu
 executive whip but that the time had no arrived for emancipation" for until thu Ipeace conference had completed it's worl
 the President should be accorded com
 plete support