Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-02-17

Ir0InIHCl, lOIlUue NdlSII, NldSSuClu-
sets, and Walsh, Montana.
Forty-six Republicans and "a
Democrats voted for passage of the
bill. The Republicans were: Ball,
Brookhart. Bursum, Calder, Gamer
on, Capper, Colt, Couzens, Curtis,
Dillingham;, Ernst Fernald, Freling-
huysen. Gooding, Hale, Harreld,
. Johnson, Jones. >r(Washington); kel-
Iogg, Meyers. Lenroot. Lodge, Nc
Cormick. McCumber, Mckinley, Nc
Lean, McNary, Moses. Nelson. New.
Oddie, Page. Phipps, Poindexter
Reed. (Pennsylvania): Shortridge,
Smoot Spencer. Stanfield, Sterling
Sutherland, Townsend, Warren, Wat
son. Weller and Willis.
The Democratic supporters were:
Fletcher, George. Glass. Harrison,
Jones New MeXico): King, Myers.
Overman, Owen, Pittman, Pomer-
enc. Ransdell. Robinson, Sheppard,
Shields, Smith. Stanley. Swanson,
Underwood and Williams.
The vote was not reached until
. after Z o'clock and after a continu-
Gus session of eight hours and a to-
tai of four days of debate. The bill
was passed a week ago today by
the House after one days discussion
and goes to conference with a GER
tainty of enactment before Congress
adjourns. Chairman McCumber OF
, the finance committee, Senator Smoot
Republican, Utah, a member of the
finance committee, and also some or
the Allied debt commission and
Senator Williams. Democrat. Mis-
sissippi, were appointed as the con-
ferees for the Senate.
Only two important Senate amend
ments are in dispute between the
Senate and House. These are the
amendment of Senator Robinson.
Democrat, Arkansas, providing for
approval by Congress instead OF the
President OF funding agreements with
other nations, and one by Senator
Harris, Democrat, Georgia, providing,
for appointment Of three Democrats
| on the Allied debt commission. Both
! were adopted by the Senate without
record votes. The Robinson amend
ment was accepted by ;.dminist:a-
| ton leaders. but they opposed that
of Senator Harris and said 1t would
be dropped out in conference If it
threatened to delay enactment Of tE1
| legislation.
The attacks in final debate today
as we'll as in previous discussion,
| vided in the British settlement. This
is three per cent for the first ten
years and II per cent thereafter.
| Opponents rallied finally upon the
amendment of Senator Hitchcock.
Democrat. Nebraska, proposing that
Great Britain should pay the same
rate paid by the United States upon
| it's securities, averaged each HeGr.
This was rejected GIL to Il and
| ended the interest fight.
Fourteen Democrats and seven Re-
publicans supported the Hitchcock
amendment. The Democrats includ-
ed Senators Gerry. Rhode Island.
and Walsh. Massachusetts. Eighteen
| Democrats Joined the majority of
Republicans in opposing the Hitch
cock amendment.
| Opponents of the interest rates in
the British funding agreement ,rSued
that they constituted a cancellation
in part of the British debt and trans
ferred a burden. estimated at ST.
| 666,000000 based on the IA per
cent rate on Liberty bonds t. the
American taxpayer. The advocate
! of the bill denied that cancellation
| was involved. declaring the opposi-
| ton argument "prepOsterOus, and
reiterated that the BRUSH agree nent
was fair and the best that could be
| obtained.
The battle was wascd all day he-
| fore crowded galleries with fl.Sn-s Of
oratory. Probably the most d,C'a,.c
speech was by Senator Glass. Demo-
, crat, Virginia, former secretary of
the treasury. who PARTED i'll 'crvid
] colors a picture of the British and
Allied services in the war against
the common enemy. Senator Glass
| said the British funding agreement
was "a sound economic proposition
and eminently fair so far as The in
! terests of the United States are con-
cerned." He and other champions Of
the bill stressed that the agreement
would stabilize and improve world
conditions. and open the way to
! funding agreements with other debtor
! nations.