Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-04
House Wants to Be 1na
formed as to Csblegrams
to Committee. n
WILSON REPORTED
PLAYING POLITICS
Mystssioss Msssass 20 csRanit&se- D.
nsndsd Passses ef Enlarged Navao
Program In Order = Assure ousseee
Of League ~ Nations-prsa,deNt Ae-
evssd of Catering to 1r,tish SIP.
ping Trust.

Washington. Fsh A.-Dfscussion Of
two interesting p,nxies Of President
Wilson's diplomacy at the peace con-
ference, affecting profoundly the In.
terests Of the United States. wtli fi8urs
prominently In the debate on the ad-
min,stration big navy bill scheduied 10
open in tho house. The d.scuesion will
turn on these two incidents:
Tho receipt by tho house COMMITTEES
on naval affairs Of . mysterious secret
that the failure Of tho bill 70 create the
greatest navy in the world might prove
fatal to his endeavors at the peace
conclav~,
The refusal Of the president 70 per-
NIT the resumption OF American chip
building for foreign account. - re-
suit Of which European competitors OF
England in foreign trade are shut ont
of American shipyards, and England
and Canada arc getting all the foreign
shipbuildinS contracts they can handle
in addition to reviving their own mer-
chant marine.
Demand That padsstt Expiain.
Representative Padgett, chairman Of
the committee on naval affairs. viii he
called upon to disclose to the house the
contents of the presidents cablegram
or to state the reasons for its suppres-
sion.
In Difference to the express wishes
OF tho president every effort has been
made to preserve secrecy in regard to
Mr.. Wilson's message. Members of
the committee were sworn to secrecy
before the communication was divulged
to them by Chairman Padgett.
That such message was received.
however. soon became cloakroom goa
sip. and gradually the general purport
OF the presidents Representatives ho-s
came known. Il 10 said that the py0o-
ident informed the committee ~ W1lAt
he Is endeavoring TO accomplish In
Paris. presumably in connection With
that plank Of his peace platform call
ing for the reduction Of naval arInA =
ment by the powers. 49, - -
Gives Warning TO COMMITTEES.
He set forth In what respects tho.
passage of the bill providing for the
greatest navy in the world would adj
vance his plans to bring the nations
into agreement on the disarmament
principle.
The president informed the commit
tee that unless the legislation be en-
acted he could not answer for the sue
cess Of his great undertaking.
The cablegram produced the effec.
on the committee desired by tho pres
ident. The fate OF the bill had beeR
dent The fate OF the bill had been III
doubt that the democratic majority
divided on the wisdom OF emharking
upon the project OF building a navy
equal to. If not stronger than that of
the mistress OF the seas. When the
presidents message was read. how
ever. the democratic opposition melted
away and the bill was favorably re-
ported to the house.
Republicans Not Impressed.
Republican members Were not deep
~ impressed. They classed this appeai
Of the president with his myslerious
adomonition to congress in 1921 that
urless the Panama canal tolls pro-
vision were not repealed he woi,ln not
know how "Tto deal with ether matters
OF ever greater delicacy" and also his
assurance given the senate that the
Won an suffrage amondmcrt was vital
TO the winning Of the war.
Padgett Admits Charge.
Insistence by President Wilson upon
the administrations policy Of naval ex-
pansion led to the unanimous approval
given by The house naval COMMITTEES 70
another three year construction pro-
gram. .a1
This was disclosed today by Chair
man Padgett, of the committees, when
the house began consideration Of the
s750,oo0.ooo annual naval appropriations
bill
MIR. Faigett told OF a cabiesraiu sent
by the president from Paris TO Secic-E
tary Daniels saying nothing had oc-
cusred over there to change the recon-
mendation he had made In his annual
message TO congress. Tho message
was brought to the attention Of the
committee by Mr.. Daniels.
Tho president was very earnest"
Representative Padgett said. ''ani very
insistent that the three-year program
be carried out"
Asked by Representative Moore Of
Pennsylvania, whether he believed the
program would benefit the country.
Representative Butler. Of Pennsylvania,
rankiag republican on the committed.
said he doubted y because he believed
1t would never be completed.
Mr. Butler said before construction
could be started different conditioae
might make a larger navy unnecessasysi