Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-12-19
HEAVIER fines AND PRISON
TERMS G|ST DRY" FARLEY .
PRESIDENT AND GOVERNORS
SHIP BILL AND FARM ! !.
CREDITS STRUGGLE
FOR SENATE FAVOR

Washington, Dec. 1S.-Supporters
of the administration shipping bill
and members of an alliance between
opponents of the measure and pro-
ponents of the Norris agricultural
financing bill, struggled for domi-
nance in the Senate today without
definite results.
The issue. which was before the
Senate throughout a six-hour ses-
sion,, was embodied in the motion of
Senator Norris, of Nebraska, chair
man of the agriculture committee
and a leader in the new progressive
bloc, to lay aside the ship bill and
to take up the senator's own meas
ure to create a government capital {:
lied agency to- buy and sell farm
products. The question was the sub ,
Ject Of numerous conferences and
several speeches, including the maid !.
en- address of Senator Brookhart, .
Republican, Iowa. .
An attempt was made soon after
the session began to obtain unani- :,
nous consent for vote on the mo-
ton late tomorrow and appeared on
the point of success but a wrangle
over detail blocked the way. Re-
newcd efforts are to be made to-
morrow with prospects favoring a
vote before adjournment. :
Demand that the shipping bill be-
laid aside was made during the ses-'
sion by Senator Brookhart, Senator
Borah. Republican, Idaho, and Sen,
ator Fletcher, of Florida. leader Of
the Democratic opposition to the.
measure. Senator Ransdell, Demo-
crat. Louisiana. in four-hour
speech. urged prompt passage of the
legislation. while Senator Jones, Re
publican, Washington, in charge OF
it, stood firmly on his determination
to keep the bill before the Senate
until rural credits legislation could
be reported to the Senate by the
banking and currency committee.
Chairman Mclean, OF this commit
tee. announced during the day that
such action might be expected carly
next week.
One senator-John Sharp Will
liams. Democrat, Mississippi--an-
nounced he would not vote either
way on the question. because he
would consider himself "disgraced
either way" He said he had not
thought lit was within the realm OF
human ingenuity to frame a bill
worse than the ship subsidy bill"
but that Senator Norris, by his meas
ure had accomplished the impos-
sible."
Senator Borah urged casting aside
of the ship bill in favor of agricul-
tural relief as a matter of justice.
declaring that ''ship subsidy can
wait" until the next session of Con-
gress. but that the American farm
or with another crop season ap-
preaching could not wait. He warned
his Republican colleagues that they
had trifed long enough with that
seven million majority and asserted
that il rural credit legislation and
measures 10 relleNC tnC aSrlcuitufal
situation were sighted at the pres
cnt session of Congress. the Repub-
lican party In the next election
would mot have enough votes TO
count"
Senator Brookhart declared adyo-
cacy by the administration of ''the
passage Of the shipping bill to the
practical exclusion of agricultural
legislation was filibuster against
the sovereign voice OF the American
people. as expressed in the recent
election"
'"The issues in this case are so
great and the subject of such vital
and urgent importance to the farm
ers Of the United States" continued
Senator Brookhart, that I shall
fight this filibuster to the utmost. /
am ready to fight it upon its own
ground and with it's own weapons
It's only chance of victory ID in the
technical rule keeping retiring mem
bers here until March 4th. Its siIrc
defeat is in the technical rule of I'M
Limited debate"