The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-12
HARDING WILL. PRESS FIGHT
 FOR SHIP BILL.
Niglit Sessions of Senate in Prospect in Effort to Get Vote on Administration Measure Debt Set
 tIement Next

Associated Press.) President
 Harding's counsel in the Senate be- tween the administration two ma- jor measures, the shipping and Brit ish funding bills, was sought today
 by Senate leaders, and as a result | the shipping bill will not be laid aside immediately to make way for the debtfunding proposal. The prob
 able outcome of the remaining three weeks of Congress, however, still re- mained uncertain.
 The White House conference to- day will be followed by another to- morrow, at which the legislative program for the closing days of the present session may develop into
 more definite form. Night sessions
 of the Senate are in prospect to
 press the shipping, British debt and other important measures caught
 in the usual pre-adjournment jam.
 The House has completed most of
 it's important work and will, as com
 pared with the Senate, mark time
 until sine die adjournment.
 Jones Sees President
 The conflict between the shipping
 and British debt bills was taken up with the President today by Senator
 Jones. republican, Washington, com
 meree commissioner chairman in charge of the shipping measure, and
 Senator Curtis of Kansas. assistant republican leader.
 Although the President was said
 to have delayed a final opinion until
 after further conferences, it was un-
 derstood that he is disposed to ad- wise against immediate displacing the
 shipping bill, now the Senate's un- finished business. He Was said to be- lieve that this. the business for which Congress was called into extra ses- sion last November, should be held
 before the senate and pressed vigor- ously at least until such course would imperial enactment of the British debt funding bill. Senate leaders, therefore, are preparing a program for this week which con-
 templa.es consideration both of the shipping and debt bills. but without formal displacement of the former There probably will be preliminary discussion of the debt funding meas ures to develop the outlook for de- bate and vote. It has been sug | gested that the Senate consider the l'shipping bill during the day and the debt bill at night sessions. Those Tn charge of the debt measure believe debate will be comparatively brief. Enactment of the bill, they declared confidentially tonight, was fore gone conclusion, with assurances of wide democratic support.
 Will Fight for Vote
 Tomorrow the Senate will meet an hour earlier than usual in accord ance with the order forced yesterday by administration leaders despite ob- lection of those fighting the ship ping bill. The bill will come up at 1 o'clock, under the Senate rules, with d proposal pending, by Senator
 Jones. for a unanimous consent agree ment to limit debate beginning Feb mary iG. This is expected to fall under objection and administration forces are planning other moves to clear :he situation.
 Opponents of the shipping pro- ! posal also have several moves in | contemplation, including a possible
 motion to recommit the bill or sup plant 1t with the Capper truth in ! fabric" bill, or some other measure.
 Chairman McCumber, it was said tonight, does not desire to call up the | British debt bill in any event before | next Tuesday, because of absence from Washington of certain sena- tors.
 Completion of all important un- I finished bills this week, except the two major measures in the Senate, is planned by leaders as insurance against an extra session after March 4. Conferees on the last appropria- tion bill the war department budget.
 are to begin work tomorrow.
 A final deficiency appropriation bill is in process of preparation and
 few other measures, iErluding that for reelassifeation of federal em- ployes and the irregular salaries are scheduled for enactment. But there was said to be little chance for thou sands of bills on the calendars and scores of proposed constitutional amendments, including those to pro-
 hibit child labor and issuance of tax exempt securities.