Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-06-16
Hale Reviews Work
Continued from PAGE One)

Il have done everything possible
that | could for Maine in Washing
ton" said the senator to the Express;
this morning. land of course have
had to depend upon my friends here
to do what they can for me"
Just before | left Washington"
said Senator Hale, the naval bill
was reported to the senate from the
Naval Affairs committee, of which
am member. 1t Will probably be
passed by the senate as reporte d.
within three or four days. The real
fight on the bill will, Of course come
in conference, and as | am mem
Der Of the Conference committee. in
fact the only New England member,
the matter will take up much of my
attention after | return to Wash
instOn. The senate bill has in
creased the naval appropriation by
$1,000, 900. Tie greater part of
this increase was to provide pay for
the increase in the number of men
made by the house over the house
Naval committee report. The house
committee provided for $1,000 men.
but the house was forced to increase
this to $4,000 in order to bring the
navy up to the standard as provided
for in the Washington conference
treaty. The house made this in
crease in the number Of men,. but
it did not provide for paying them
in the appropriation bill, which had
previously been passed. The senate
has had to take care of that. The
remainder of the increase will so
to take care of naval aviation. which
the house left to the senate to look
after, the naval reserve, which
wasn't provided for at all, and for
other items which, come under the
general head of increase of the navy
due to the Washington treaty.
II notice that the secretary of the
navy" continued Senator Hale. has
said that there will have to be a
cut in the navy yards under the SEN
ate bill. | think that the secretary
will have to revise his figures. The
navy yards will have twice what they
had before the war. and in addition
the department will have advantage
of the fact that three navy yards
have been abolished. those at pensa-
cola, New Orleans. and Cavite. The
increase in the submarine work will
provide additional business for the
Portsmouth navy yard, where much
of this work is done.
The tariff bill we have had be
fore US for eight weeks" said the
senator, "and so far we have passed
upon 800 items of the 1000 contained
in the measure. The work has gone
slowly on account of the delays in
terposed by the Democrats. who. I'M
der the rules, have the privilege Of
talking as often and as long as they
like. The bill has now been tenn
porarily laid aside to make way for
again as soon as the latter measure
is disposed of. OF course. it is un-
certain when the tariff bill will be
passed, but there has been some talk
of date before the end of July.
The matter of free potash, of
course, I was interested in primarily
on account of the manner in which
it affected Maine. although all the
agricultural interests of the country
are greatly affected by it. During
the war the supply of potash was
entirely cut off from this country,
and all the farmers had to depend
on was what was produced in this
country. In spite of the tremendous
~ high prices that prevailed, the
figures running up to $500 or $500
a ton. compared with something like
$7j, the present price, the most that