The Mena weekly star., 1919-02-13
WILSON'S PLEA FOR BIC BIC NAVY ONINOUS
Mysterious Message Influenced the Committee, but Started a Row in the House-Abusive Talk by Op-
 ponents Fails to Obtain Details.

1 Washington, Feb. 4.-Disclosure in the House today by Chairman Pad l gett of the Naval Committee that President Wilson in a cablegram last week to Secretary Daniels insisted that Congress adopt the new three year naval building program, was followed by vain efforts of Republic an members to obtain the text of the message.
 Representative Padgett said the presidents cahlsg<sm was responsi- ble for the committees unanimous recommendation of the construction of 10 dreadnaughts and 10 scout cruisers, carried in the new $750, ,000,- 900 naval appropriations bill, consid- eration of which was begun today in the House. Mir. Padgett refused to make public the text of the message on the ground that questions of for eign policy were involved
 "The president was very earnest and very insistent that the three year program should be carried out" said Mir Padgett. "In substance. the president stated that nothing had oc- cured over there to change his rec ommendation, but he stated, however, that if there were developments in the way of tribunals for disarmament and league of nations he would be willing that a proviso should be in- serted to allow him to discontinue or stop the program"
 HuddIeston Joins Opposition.
 Only one Democratic member of the House opposed the proposed naval expansion during the debate today Representative Huddleston of Ala bama criticised the bill as represent ing policy of imperialism that would saddle the country with bur den of militarism," and would lead to another war. Representative Kelly of Michigan, Republican member of the Naval Committee, urged the ex- pansion, as did Representative Miller of Washington, another Republican.
 A cross fire of questions from Re- publican representatives disclosed that the president had sent mes sage urging the necessity of passing the bill
 Representative Gillette of Massa- chussets, asked if the message said that the failure of the bill would be fatal to my negotiations" and said he regarded such language as Aintimat- ing that the United States had only one negotiator over there"
 That is not accurate" answered Mir Padgett.
 Pressed by Representative Rogers of Massachusetts, Republican, who asked if the word fatal" were used, Mir. Padgett said he would have to be excused from answering as to the words that were or were not in the presidents cable, and added that he would mot affirm or deny any word in the cablegram."
 Doubts Seriousness of Situation.
 "Do you not think at time like this that is so critical" insisted Mir. 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 it to make up it's mind ,"
 ''The critical time is not limited to here.r responded Mir Padgett, 'it is also over there. And it would not be proper for me to give the words that were used"
 Questions by Representative Gra- ham of Illinois, Republican, disclosed that the cable was not sent in answer to one sent to the president by Sec retary Daniels, telling of the situa- tion in Congress and asking if the presidents experiences abroad would lead him to change the recommenda- tions for a new building program. Representative Mann of Illinois, the Republican leader, said he did not believe Mir. Padgett would be war ranted in revealing the text of the message, but asked about the report that the cable said the failure of au- thorizing the program would be fa- tai to my negotiations.
 Mir. Padgett replied that all of the words were not used.
 Representative Huddleston defend ed Great Britain's policy of having the largest fleet, because of it's iso- lated position, and said America does not need such a large navy because z ...1f -t.-e.