Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-24
VOTE ON CRUISERS
DUE IN HOUSE SOON
Debate on Senate Amend
ment Opens With Plea to
Back President.

A plea that the House uphold the
President in his efforts for naval limi-
tation and reject the Senate amend
for the construction of three new
scout cruisers was made this after
noon by Representative French OF
Idaho, in charge of the bill.
The cruiser proposal came before
the House after that body had agreed
to the conference report on the Navy
bill as presented by Mr.. French.
The fate of the cruiser building pro-
gram. so far as the House is con-
cerned, will be determined before ad-
journment today. Predictions are
made freely that the vote will be close.
Supporters of the cruiser program
predicted that they weuld win.
An Alternative Proposal.
An alternative proposal for the ex-
tension of the authorization for the
three cruisers, which under the exist
ing law expires next July. will be pro-
posed by the opponents of an imme-
date appropriation, 1t was said.
The debate on the cruiser PROPOSE
ton was opened by Mr.. French.
.sAre you going to embarrass the
President, who is seeking further
naval limitation, by agreeing TO this
appropriation for cruisers?" demanded
Mr. French.
He called attention to the fact that
the House has passed bill author
izing an appropriation of $4,000 to
enable this country to continue par
ticipation in the disarmament con-
ference at Geneva. That conference,
u \ Iii, Inx,
Would Aveid Futile" Act.
"The President called on this Con
for the cruisers. because this Gov
ernment is engaged in negotiations
for naval limitation. This House
ought not now to do a foolish and
futile thing. Furthermore. the pass
ing and adoption of this amendment
would not advance the construction
of these cruisers one day."
Mr.. French pointed out that Great
Britain and Japan are favorable to
the recent proposal of the President
for the immediate negotiation at
Geneva of a further naval limitation
agreement. He discounted the re-
fusals of France and Italy to enter
into such an agreement, declaring
that when the peoples of those coun-
tries understood the matter there
would be a change in the attitude of
their governments.
The Republican members of the
House conference committee all sup
ported the President in his stand on
the cruisers, MIR. French said. Two
Democratic members also, he said.
have placed the interests of the
country above partisanship," and have
stood back of the President in this
matter. The Democratic members were
Ayres of Kansas and Oliver of Ala
bama.
Democrats for Cruisers.
This hour marks crisis in world
peace" declared Mr.. French. in clos
ing his appeal.
Representative Vincent of Georgia
ranking Democratic member of the
naval affairs committee, took up the
cudgels for the cruiser appropriation.
Il am not seeking to embarrass the
President" he said. Rather am l
seeking to enable the President the
more effectually to bring the nations
together"
Mr.. Vincent said that when the
President sent his budget message
to Congress he proposed that the
authorization of the three cruisers
be extended for a year. He said
that a bill for this purpose had been
prepared by Chairman Butler of the
naval affairs committee and that
another bill authorizing the construc-
ton of 10 new cruisers had also been
introduced by Mr.. Butler Both these
bills, he said were referred to the
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