Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1921-05-27
NAVAL BASE WILL
NOT Be ERECTED
ALAMEDA PROVISION is CUT
FROM APPROPRIATION BILL
AFTER LONG STRUGGLE
Senator King and Borah VIM Fight
After Long Struggle; Mare island
Navy Yard Viii 5e Kept in
Tact AS Coast Defender

When the senate Monday afternoon
by a vote OF Az to 30 rejected a pro
vision in the naval bill establishing a,
new base IN the San Francisco bay at
Alameda, it paid tribue to Senator
Kings ability AS a debater and real
guardian of the treasury. In the long
;drawn-out fight which began last SEES
sion, Senator King had as his chief
lieutenant Senator Borah.
Senator Kings fight, which ended
VIGOROUSLY today, was begun last SEES
sion when the naval bill was brought
up. His attention then had been call
ed to the Alameda question, and he
demanded that the item be laid aside
while he could 60 into its merits. This
ne did most thoroughly, with the re
Fult that he and Senator Borah, large.
Nv on account OF this one item, forced
the defeat of the naval bill on the 18th
of March, and made necessary rein
PRODUCTION this session.
Senator King went to pains to get
at the bottom facts, and when he was
fully informed he explained the situa-
tion to Senator Borah, who Joined with
him in determined attack upon the
Alameda project. When Senator King
and Senator Borah this session ex.
posed the entire affair, nineteen Re
publican senator's, including some
large navy advocates, Joined them In
striking the provision from the bill
The Alameda provision had an in
accent appearance. 1t called for the
appropriation Of only $f,5O0,O00 for
the establishment of naval supply
base. If 1t had been adopted, the gov
eminent would have been committed to
the expenditure of something like $780,
100000 at Alameda, and the scrapping
of the Mare Island navy yard, which
Aas cost the government $40,00O,000.
Aside from the great expense involved
1he Mare Island navy yard as Senator
King showed from official reports, is
the most efficient shore establishment
maintained by the government.
t. begin with, Senator King divulg-
ed the fact that the Alameda site was
really a quicksand fiat covered witt
en- average of about twelve feet of
water Although borings to the depth
az $50 feet have been made, no solid
foundation had been found. With a
solid foundation, the cost of filing In
tAe fiat would have been $4,000 per
acre. The navy departments plan,
Senator King showed called for over
5000 acres, and as a result the gov
eminent would have expended at
least $8O.OOO,OO0 In securing ground at
the site upon which to erect its build
lpgs
In contendlng that there was no rea-
son for the establishment of another
base on San Francisco bay. Senator
King submitted official reports to show
ahat with an expenditure of $8,000,000
sr $1OO0O.OOO the entire needs Of the
new Pacific feet could be provided for
at the lower end of Mare Island. The
senator simply overwhelmed senators
with information from an official
source to sustain his position in the
controversy. Even Senator McCorm
lex Of Illinois, who had origally pro
posed the resolution by which another
base was to have been selected fol
san Francisco bay, Joined Senator
King in protesting against the passag'
Of the Alameda provision.