Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-02-02
SENATE WOULD
ENLARGE NAVY
BY ) CRUISERS
Insurgents Stand With
President Opposing Build
ing Program.
UP TO HOUSE
Construction Of Warships
Will Be Left To Coolidge's
Decision.

WASHINGTON, Feb. (R)-Presi-
dents Coolidge's program of deferr-
ing construction of three addi 1ional
scout cruisers, authorized three years
ago, was disapproved today by the
senate.
The vote was 40 to 27 and developed
the unusual sitaution of all the re-
publican insurgents standing with
the president. They were joined by
eight democrats and scattering of the
old guard.
Constituting the clear majority of
the entire senate, which voted for the
cruiser amendment to the annual
naval appropriation bill were "a re-
rublicans, most of them generally ac-
counted as the regulars of the regu-
lars, and 25 democrats.
The senate. amendment still has to
run the gauntlet of the house where
similar proposal was voted down
recently by a narrow margin after it
had been sponsored by the recognized
republican leaders.
Senate leaders expect the house to
accept the amendmnt which would
appropriate $1,20O,OOO for beginning
and the prevailing opinion at the
capitol is that Mr.. Coolidge will sign
the naval bill with this provision in
it,
Even if the amended bill becomes
a law, it would not follow that work
would be started on the additional
craft this year as under the amend
ment the president could direct the
navy department. to withhold the let
ting of bids.
The chief executive has taken the
position that the construction of the
cruisers at this time is not essential
and that it would be the better
policy to defer the letting of con-
tracts pending the outcome of the
efforts now being made at Geneva to
bring about another disarmament
conference.
Senator Hale, republican, Maine,
chairman of the naval committee and
others of his committee, took the
position thta these and a number Of
other light cruisers were necessary
to balance the nations fighting fleet
and that their construction could not
be regarded as militaristic act on
the part of the United States since
both Great Britain and Japan have
built many such craft since the
Washington arms conference five
years ago
Both sides of the controversy over
the cruisers had their say in the
senate last week and vote on the
amendment came today without fur
ther debate, after Senator Curtis, the
majority leader, who stood with the
presiden, had announced he was ready
for the test of strength.
The roll call follows:
For the amendment:
Republicans: Bingham, Cameron
Couzens, Dale, Edge, Goff, Gooding,
Gould, Hale, Johnson, Keyes Nc
Lain, McNary, Means, Metcalf, Moses,
Oddie, Pepper, Phipps, Robinson of
Indiana, Schall, Shortridge, Stanfield
and Watson-24.
Democrats: Ashurst, Bayard Brat
ton, Broussard, Bruce, Copeland, Ed
wards, Fletcher, George, Gerry, Glass,
Harris, Harrison, Hawes, Kendrics,
McKellar, Overman, Reed of Missouri,
Smith, Steck, Stephens, Trammell,
Tyson, Walsh of Massachusetts, and
Walsh of Montana-25
TotaI-49.
Against the amendment:
Republicans: Borah Capper, De-
neen, Ernst, Fess, Frazier, Gillett,
Jones of Washington; LaFollette,
I.enroot, McMaster, Nye, Pine, Reed
of Pennsylvania; Sacket, Stewart,
Warren and Willis-18.
Democrats: Caraway, Dill, Ferris,
HefIin, Jones of New Mexico, King,
Sheppard and Wheeler-S.
Farmer-labor: Shipstead-1.
Totals-27.