The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-04
WILSON FORCES
NAVAL BILL0UT'
Reported in House on Urgent
Cable That Failure Would
Be Fatal" to His Plans.
RESENTMENT Is AROUSED
Text Kept Secret and Congress-
men Will Demand Explana-
ton Before Passing 1t.
Epecidl Despdfch 10 TIE SrN.

WAsHINGroN. Feb. 3.-The naval ap-
preparation bill, providing for expendl-
lures Of more than 100000, 900 and
carrying a new three year ship con-
struction programme. was reported out
Of the House Naval Affairs Committee
only after President Wilson cabled to
the chairman of the committee. Repre-
sentative Padgett (Tenn.). that to do
otherwise would be fatal to my neso-
tiations." This was learned to-day on
authority which cannot be questioned
Absolutely no explanation of what
particular negotiations would be ruined
by failure of the committee to report
the bill was contained in the cable, It
was learned. The text OF the cable
gram is being kept secret. members Of
the House Naval Affairs Committee be-
ing sworn to secrecy in regard to it.
The Navy bill will come before the
House Tomorrow. At that time mem
bers OF the House are expected to de-
mand that the text OF the Wilson cable
gram be made public. Members on both
sides declare that they do not intend to
follow blindly the dictates of the Presi-
dent in regard to an enormous appro-
pr!ation bill committing the taxpayers of
the nation to an expense of 500, 900, 900
year in times OF peace.
Satisfactory Explanation Wanted.
4 more satisfactory explanation than
the mere statement from the President
that the failure OF the naval bill would
be fatal to my negotiations" will be
necessary before the measure can pass
the House except under the greatest diff
fcultes. Unless this explanation is sat
isfactory the Senate Naval Committee
may be relied on to hold up the big
navy bill, so without adequate explana-
tion its chances OF passing the present
Congress are slim.
As matter of fact until the time
the Wilson cablegram was received il
was offended to make a minority report
opposing the bill. At least four and
probably more Republican members OF
the Naval Committee would have signed
this report. on the strength OF the
Presidents cablegram virtually making
| demand for the reporting OF the bill
drOnnPd
their minority report.
While 1t is not possible TO disclose the
| text OF the Presidents cabled request or
demand on the Committee it ia known
that II merely informed the Committee
that the reporting OF the bill must be
| done or II would be fatal"
Peace Plans Perhaps mt Stake.
The cablegram did not disclose, It is
! understood. TO what this failure would
prove fatal but 1t is generally inter.
| preted at the Capitol to mean that fail
ure of the naval bill would be fatal 10
the Presidents plans respecting the
i Peace Conference.
The opposition to the naval bill Il
based on the fact that it Is not now be-
| lleved to be necessary to provide for n
| naval establishment costing more than
800, ,000,0 900 year. 1t was pointed out
| to-day that there is not a single capital
ship of the last three year programme
yet completed. and the majority of them
have still to be laid down.
Members of the Naval Committee OF
| the Senate already have given intima.
| tion that they do not intend to pass ia.
vorably on the bill now before the House
merely on the statement from the Presi.
dent that 1t would be fatal" not to pass
II without question. They are prepared
to demand and will insist on finding out
just what the fatality would be- There
| is a suspicion that the fatality might be
to the League of Nations plan, and that
plan is far from being in favor at the
Senate end OF the Capitol.