Evening star., 1923-02-12
REDOUbLE EFFORTS
TO PASS SHIP BILL
Leaders Intend Joint Consid-
Grafton With Debt
Legislation.
JONES OFFERS SOLUTION
Would Divide Time for Studying
Both Measures in Two Weeks
of Session Remaining.
JONES OFFERS SOLUTION

With only three weeks of the pres
ent session remaining, supporters and
opponents of the administration ship
ping bill today resumed their struggle
in the Senate over this measure
Senator Jones of Washington, in
charge Of the bill. offered a unani-
us-consent agreement for the lini-
tation of debate on the bill, with the
ultimate purpose of bringing about
a vote.
The Jones proposal was that after
Friday, February 16, no senator
should speak more than once or longer
bill, or more than once or longer than
thlrty minutes on any amendment, and
that on and after Tuesday. February
20, senator's should be limited to fif-
teen-minute speeches on the bill and
five minutes on any amendment.
Senator Williams of Mississippi,
democrat. immediately objected.
Offers to Divide Time.
Senator Jones then gave notice that
for the next two or three days he
would move an adjournment each day
until IL o'clock in the morning, SO
that the British debt funding bill
could be considered in "the morning
hour'-from IL am. to p.m.-on
these days. He also gave notice that
unless some agreement could be
reached about limiting debate on the
shipping bill he would ask the Senate
to meet In night sessions. beginning
on Wednesday.
The opponents Of the shipping bill
then made their first move to dis
place the bill as the unf1n-
ished business OF the Senate. Senator
Norris OF Nebraska moved that the
Senate proceed to the consideration
OF joint resolution proposing a
constitutional amendment abolishing
the electoral college and providing
for the meeting of Congress each
January and the inauguration Of
newly elected President in January
following his election.
Would Sidetrack Bills.
1t is understood that Senator Jones,
leading the fight for the shipping bill,
WIll seek to cut Off all proposals to
take up other measures by moving
to lay these proposals on the table.
With all of the appropriations ex-
cept the deficiency bill passed by both
houses and only few of them yet
remaining to be agreed to In confer
bill have settled down TO a real strug-
gle to bring about a vote on that
measure before adjournment.
The intertection of the British debt
funding bill at this time has inter-
fered, to some extent, with the plans
of the leaders favoring the shipping
bill: The administration is anxious
20 have the British debt-funding bill
disposed Of. as we'll as the shipping
bill, and it is realized that Opponents
Of the shipping bill may use the debt
funding bill as a vehicle for debate,
thereby causing delay in the consid.
GRAFTON of the shipping bill.
Rumors of a possible special ses-
funding bill and the shipping bill are
not brought to vote in the Senate
were bruited about the Capitol TODAY.
1t has been understood that the Presi-
dent. as well as members of Congress.
are anxious to avoid a special session
this spring. However, the admins
tration's determination to bring about
a showdown on the shipping bill and
to bring about the passage of the
British debt-funding bill, it was said,
has not lessened
Senator Robinson OF Arkansas. who
is slated to be the democratic leader
of the Senate in the next Congress.
discussing the Presidents demand for
a vote on the shipping bill. announced
that he, for one, would have no OBJ
jections to taking a vote provided the
Madden amendment was adopted,
under which contracts for ship sub
sides would only be made from year
to year and each Congress would be
free to repeal the subsidy act if it so
desired, and would not be bound by
the action of the present Congress.
The Arkansas Senator said that ii
was now proposed to enact law
with the vote of senator's and rep
resentatives defeated at the last cleo
tion, which would bind the new Con-
gress and other Congresses to come
He denounced such proposed action.
President Harding Is understood to
have advised tentatively against dis
placing the shipping bill for the
debt, bill at a conference yesterday
with Senator Jones. in charge of the
former measure, and Senator Curtis of
Kansas, assistant republican leader. A
more definite program was expected
to result from conferences today be-
tween the President and Senator
Lodge, the republican leader; chair
man McCumber of the finance commit
tee, managing the British debt bill;
Senator Smoot, republican, Utah, a
member of the debt commission and
other party leaders.