Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-05-28
Clash Over
Naval Bill
In Senate
Question of Various Amend.
menls to Disarmament
Clause Brings LivelyTilts
During Debate.
Final Action Postponed
BY The Associated Fress.

by The Associated Fress.
Washington, May 24,-Final action
| on disarmament questions and
against beginning new Pacific coast
naval base was taken today i'll the
senate, but other amendments TO the
$495,000,000 naval appropriation bill
were not disposed of when adjourn
ment was taken until next Tuesday,
over Memorial day. Disarina-
ment proposals caused brisk clash
over amendments of Senator's POM
creme, Ohio, and Walsh, Montana,
democrats.
With the Borah amendment
authorizing and requesting the
president to call three-powcr con-
ference to discuss disarmament al
ready in the bill, Senator Pomercne
offered supplementary amendment.
1t would have authorized the presi-
dent to suspend American naval con-
struction for six months "in order
TO arrange" the conference and if a
disarmament agreement should be
reached, to suspend construction in
part or in whole.
The proposal was beaten twice.
once on a point of order sustained by
! Vice President Coolidge and again
by a record vote. % to 81, for sus-
pension of the rules to make it i'll
order.
Even liyelier tilt developed on
Senator Walsh's amendment which
which would have requested the
president to send American repre-
sentatives to sit with the disarma-
ment commission of the league of
nations in consulting capacity
Denounced by Lodge.
This amendment was beaten, ~ to
p, after it was denounced by Sena-
tor Lodge of Massachusetts,, repub-
lican leader, as "a side door" entrance
OF America into the league.
The proposal for a new naval base
at Alameda, Cal, was lost finally
when Senator Ball, republican, Dela-
ware a prominent champion of it.
announced after a further canvass of
senator's, that no further attempt
would be made to rescind the SEN
ate's vote striking the item from the
bill
! His announcement came after SEN
ator King, democrat, Utah, had
served notice that opponents would
delay passage of the naval budget
!. indefinitely should the Alameda
amendment again be presented. Sem
ator Johnson, republican, spoke BRIEF
ly in support of the project, but con-
ceded its defeat, stating that the
house would not accept it even il
passed by the senate.
Clash Over Midshipmen.
The senate also clashed over the
recent dismissal OF 10 midshipmen
from the naval academy at Annapo-
lis. After criticism and defense of
the Annapolis authorities the SEN
ate adopted an amendment provid-
ing tor reappolntment of the midi
shipmen who ''flunked,' to lower
class.
Another amendment adopted
called for report by the Navy de-
partment as to whether any navy
yards or stations. should be aban-
doned.
The liveliest tilt was over the
Walsh amendment for appointment.
OF American representative to the
league of nations disarmament COM
mission. Its author contended that it
followed the administrators policy
OF appointing representatives to sit
with the supreme council and the
allied reparations commission.
Senators Lodge and Watson,
Georgia, declared that the proposal
was an entering wedge for Ameri-
can participation in the league. The
people OF the United States" said
Senator Lodge, have decided
against that league The president
has declared he would not enter it,,
No Back Gate Entrance.
| Expressing the hope that the presi-
dent would call the disarmament con-
ference proposed by. the Borail
amendment and that such z cc.fer.
ence would soon be called" Sem
ator Lodge added:
But ! do not propose, for one,
! to join in any way this league of
nations, and | do not propose to
enter any side doof or back gate"
Senator Walsh argued that the
league commission was considering
/ general disarmament, while under
the Borah plan, only naval disarma-
ment would be under consideration.
1 That the sending of what he
termed American observers" to the
supreme council and reparations
commission had anything to do with
the league" was denied by Senator
Brandegee OF Connecticut, repub-
lican "irreconcilable."
The supreme council" said Sem
ator Brandegee, SIS body utterly
unknown to the league. The repara-
tons commission has nothing what
ever to do with the league OF ma
tons; it is body of the Versailles
treaty"