Evening star., 1920-02-16
Protests Against Board
Action Again Are Voiced
on Floor of the Senate

While the bi:s we're being opened
protests against the boards action were
voicesi again on the Zoe. Of the Sen
ate, win Senators As;furst OF krixcna
ard ccf,enAr % Tennessee, both
den, :,:t1 -, seeking to put the Senate
on resorJ' as opposing sny sale
SHaa;a- Jones. republican. of Wash
.nEtor, Chairman Of the commerce
corr riittce. argued against congress
sisnat action at th's time. declaring
~ you'd 81 n reflection on Chairman
PaEn& 81 thu board, who assured the
would be closed until the committees
advice had been asked. Mr.. Payne viii
appear before the committee again to-
morrow TO disclose results Of today's
bidding
Uranimous consent was refused by
Senator Ashurst's resolution asking
fhe board % defer any gale until
action by Congress" Re0tinF the as
sursoces given by Mr Payne. the com :
rnittee chairman said:
1T seems to me that protects the
rights Of the public 20 the fullest ex-
tent. and hat Senate action would be
reae -t;ca on the promise OF the
chairman Of the board
Senator Ashurst declared he did not
;i.s;re TO reflect on The hoard or its
thsirman. though he bad learned that
"tae executive def,a rtTeEtS are wrong
ahoat Sc Per cent of the time and Con-
gress is right about 50 par cent Of the
time"
Wants NOtkre to BE Served.
'I simply want the Senate to serve
notice" continued Senator Ashurst,
that it is opposed to selling a feet
which it would take s250,000, 900 and
Ave years to build. to the Morgan in
terests. the International Mercantile
Marine. for s2S. .o0o.0 .0eG"
Later Senator McKelfar got before
the Senate his resolution introduced
Saturday. which was similar to that
of Senator Ashurst.
He argued that out of an abundance
of caution. the Senate should take
steps to make certain no sale was con-
summated in whole or in part" From
the testimony of Mr.. Payne before
the committee. he continued. "it was
apparent to me that he believes the
ships should be sold"
Senator Jones also opposed this reso-
luton, and in response to a request
from Senator Lenroot. republican.
Wisconsin. said the committee would
not give its advice on the subject un-
opportunity to express its opinion.
I'm opposed to government opera
ton Of ships" Senator Lodge. repub-
lican. Massachusetts,, said, bat that
question il not involved here. We
ought to know something about the
transaction. There may be some COM
initial the President has made abroad
in reference to them"
senator Borah's Comment.
Senator Borah. republican. Idaho.
observed that the transaction ought
to be delayed until we find out
whether We are going to have an in
government"
"1f we do" he added. "it would be
all right tc sell them to an interna-
tional corporation"
Senator Trammell, democrat, Flori-
da, speaking for the resolution, de-
clared he did favor government own
ership and was opposed to any sale.
1T is the business of Congress to
register its opinion" Senator Brande-
gee. s.fepubtiean. Connecticut, said.
Judge Payne says he will submit bids
he receives today to the commerce
committee. which is an instrument of
Congress, not Congress. I'm opposed to
government ownership and operation
of ships. but that isn't the purrxse of
this resolution. The purpose is to
register the opinion of Congress as
to whether this individual transac-
tion ought to be carried out. and there
can be no reasonable objection of the
shipping board or the committee
against it."