The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-03
PROLONGED EIGHT
 ON NAVAL BUDGET
 PRESENT OUTLOOK
Indications Are That Battle Will Continue Until Fall of
 the Final GaveI . Next Friday
By Associated Press

MaShInStOn, March ~-SthHtc
 and House conferees on the army
 appropriation bill reached an
 agreement tonight to make pro-
 vision for an army of 156,O0O en-
 listed men for the next fiscal year.
 The agreement was n compromise
 between the Senate figure of 175,-
 GOO md the House Maximum of
 1JO,OO0, and apparently insures
 passage of the s3s5,00o,O0O army
 budget at this session.
 The senate c0nfefees imrnedf-
 nteiy submitted the bill agreed
 upon to the Senate, and 1t was
 approved, leaving only action by
 the House on the conference re-
 port necessary to send the meas
 ure to the President. Inasmuch ms
 the size of the army was the chief
 stumbling block in the attempts
 to reach mn agreement, and as the
 agreement reached Is near the
 House figure. the approval of the
 House is expected to he given
 promptly tomorrow.
 Washington, March 2.-Obstacles mu,-
  get today with adjournment of Congress SC hours away and the Senate and House held another long night session uI which advocates and opponents of the bill fought for supremacy.
 Predictions were widespread that the struggle would continue right up to the final gave next Friday. Opposition leaders declared the bill would die ana several prominent supporters of the measure concurred. Others held hope that 1t might yet be passed by the Sen ate but saw little prospect Of final en- actment
 The bill met numerous delays today, some incident to the approach Of sine die adjournment and others from the op- position camp Meeting at Il o'clock to- day the bill was laid aside for five hours, giving way to conference reports and other business and it was o'clock pe- fore any real work was began on the measure. Senator Poindexter, republican, Washington, in charge of the bill agan declared that he would hold the sen ate in continuous session untH friday if necessary for vote.
 Numerous negotiations toward compro- missing the controversy over the $lOO,Veo, GOO added to the bill by the Senate naval committee were had during the day. They appeared promising early but later
 
 the line frightened.
 REPORT POSSIBLE
 As the night session wore along obstructive tactics of few members continued to block the progress of the bill Negotiations, however. were at the same time conducted with senators who have been disposed to discuss the general Senate increases in the bill and also House leaders with the result that it was said the bill might not only be reported by the Senate but by the House before sine die adjournment.
 The suggestion was made that the Senate naval affairs committee might consent to a reduction in the enlisted personnel from 120,O00 to 10000, as compared with the 100, 900 favored by the House. and might further agree to either complete elimination of pro- visions for naval base construction at Alameda, Cal, or to radical reduc- ton in the amount recommended for that construction by the committee.
 Before any definite action was taken, however the Senate recessed until II o'clock tomorrow with the bill retain z ing it's priority on the calendar.