Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-05

Inserts Statement to Such
Effect in 15-Cruiser
Measure.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The Senate wrote into the cruiser bill
today a statement that 1t favors a
treaty with the principal naval powers
regulating the conduct of belligerents
and neutrals at sea.
Although President Coolidge does not
approve of the cruiser construction bill
with the time restriction clause in
cluded, he does not wish to be under
stood as saying positively that he will
veto the measure.
The President feels that had the time
clause been eliminated, the measure
could have been passed by the Senate IN
a few hours, with the result thas by now
the work of making appropriations Tor
building the ships would be well ui,aer
way. The time clause would stipulate
that the construction OF the 10 cruisers
and one aircraft carrier pe stareeo pe-
fore July 1. 1881. :
Mr. Coolidge believes that there is
some confusion in the minds OF Sena-
tnrs over the proposal to take out the
time limit. He feels this is regarded as
a proposal to postpone construction OF
the vessels. The Coolidge plan, now
ever was to eliminate the time restrlc-
ton. while making APPROXIMATIONS Ior
starting work on substantial nunpe1
Of the vessels at once.
with a vote assured sometime today,
the Senate showed no tendency to hurry
along the discussion on the cruiser Dill.
Opportunity was given numerous Sen
ators to discuss the proposal OF SEN
ators Borah of Idaho and Reed OF Mis-
souri, for a clause declaring that the
Senate favors a treaty to regulate the
laws of the seas.
ONLY one Senator, Bruce OF Mary
land, opposed the proposal. He con-
tended that a conference designed 10
frame such a treaty would place Great
Britain once more In the position OF
having to decline something proposed
by the United States. He said the
British could not accept any treaty
which would interfere with their ira
ditional claim to supremacy on the seas
late the actions of belligerents and
neutraIs at sea during war would have
the influence of curbing wars. He said
the United States has had adequate
proof that interference with her sea
rights has brought this country in
to war.
The Reed-Borah proposal was sup
ported by Senator Robinson OF Arkan-
sas the Democratic leader; Norris, Re-
publican, Nebraska; ShipStead, Farmer
Labor. Minnesota, and Walsh, Demo-
crat, Montana.
Senator Borah. winding up the argu-
ment for the proposal. said no dis
armament could be effected unless tne
rights of neutrals on the seas were
established. >.
IF no agreement along this line is
brought about, he said, countries may
be assured of continued taxation Tor
instruments of war. He declared tnat
the ueople sooner or later would rebel
against the extraction of so much OF
their money to prepare for slaughter.
Time Clause Yet Troublesome.
The last hours of discussion before
the clamp was put on debate yester-
dav found the Senators devoting their
closing pleas to the issue raised by
President Coolidge. that carrying out
of the naval program be put In the
Presidents hands rather than making
It mandatory that work on all the Is
cruisers and one aircraft carrier be
started by 1881, as the bill now pro-
vides.
TWO of the last-minute amendments
dealt with this point. Senator Burton,
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