The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-02-08
AMERICA NEEDS
STRONG NAVY
President Wilson Insists on No
Weakening Of Naval
Arm.
HOUSE COMMITTEE &C
CEEDS TO HIS WISH
Cablegram From Wilson Respon-
sible for Unanimous Approval
&c Three Year Program.


washington, Feb. 4.-Disclosure IN
4he hoase today by Chairman Padgett
sof the naval committee, that Presi-
DENT Wilson in q cablegraU last week
toSecretary Daniels insisted that con-
ssrass adopt the new three-year naval
hsrfding program was followed by fu-
stEe efforts of Republican members to
.nsSf15n the text Of the message.
Representative Padgett said the
president.s cablegram was response
bic for the committees unanimous
instrumentation Of the construction
o Ten dreadnaught and ten scout
scrnisers carried, in the new $3.50, ooo,-
9eo naval appropriation bill, consla-
grafton of which was begun in 'iee
Aouss.
Mr. Padgett refused to make pup
ssNc the text Of the message on the
ground that questions OF foreign POI
sicy were involved in its contents.
the president was very earcest
ana very insistent that the three-yeaf
proaram should be carried out, de-
caared Mr.. Padgett. In substance,
the president stated that nothing mad
uccrrred over there TO change ms
Recommendation, but he stated, how
ever, that if there were develop
ments in the way Of tribunals for dis
armament and a league Of nations ne
would be willing that proylsc
should be inserted to allow him 20
discontinue or stop the program"
* Only one member OF the house op-
nosed the proposed naval expansion
during the debate today. Representa-
tive Huddleston of Alabama crit
cised the bill as representing "a rellct
sof imperialism that would saddle the
country with burden Of m1litarls1n
and would lead to another war. Rep
resentative Kelly OF Michigan, Repub-
saiean member of the naval commit
tee, urged the expansion, as did Rep
resentative Miller Of Washington, an
other Republican
cross FIRE of questions Of Repub-
lican representatives disclosed that
the president had sent message urg-
inE the necessity of passing the bill.
Representative Gillett of Masachu-
Eet.s asked if the message said that
the failure OF the bill would be ia
Ito my negotiations, and said he
regarded such language as "intimat-
ing the United States had only one
nsgotiator over there"
aThat is not accurate, answered
Mr.. Padgett Pressed by Representa-
i've Rodgers Of Massachusetts,, Re-
publscan, who asked if the word "fa-
tai" was used, Mr.. Padgett said he
would have to be excused from an
sWersng as 20 the words that were or
were not in the presidents cable" and
esadded that he would mot affirm Or
deny any word in the cablegran.'
DO you not think at a time like
this that is so critical" insisted Mr..
Rogers, that the American congress
should be furnished with all the IN
formation in reference to a policy
CONCERNING the American people which
the committee has in order to enable
4 TO make up its mind ?''
ss..grhe critical time is not limited to
here" responded Mr.. Padgett, "it is
also over there And it would not be
proper for me to give the words that
were used
Questions by Representative Grt-
ham of Illinois. Republican. disclosed
that the cable was sent in anwer
70 one sent to the president by Secre-
4ary Daniels, telling Of the situation
IN congress and asking if the presi-
dents experiences abroad would lead
him to change the recommendations
FOR new building program.
Representative Butter Of Pennsyl-
Kania, the ranking Republican mem
Der Of the naval committee said he
did not believe passage Of the bill
would help the situation in Europe
zone Bit
Whereupon Representative Graham
asked if the present situation was not
similar to that when the president sent
message to congress urging action
on the Panama Canal tolls. Mr.. But
ler said 1.-The same sort of injunction
was put on the passage Of that bill.
but. that concerned dollars and cents
and this concerns more tnan that
In response to other question. Mr..
Butler said he did not believe the
new ships would ever be built and
explained that he had voted for the
program in committee because he did
not want to do or say anything that
viii embarrass any of our people in
their attempt to make a peace that
will settle down this world forever.
Representative Mann Of Illinois, the
Republican leader. said he Gid not be-
lieve Mr. Padget would be warranted
in revealing the text of the message,
but he asked about the report that
the cable said the failure of authoriz-
ing the program would be fatal 20
my negotiations" Mr.. Padgett re-
Piled that all OF the words were not
used.
s.what the country wants to know,
said Mr. Mann, rs whether congress
is asked in the blind, without infor-
nation, without knowledge. without
1aying the cards on the table, as has
been frequently suggested by the
pyeside ent to vote an immense naval