The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-06
$274,0 900 Cruiser Draft
Goes to House for Vote
on Amendments!
BEGINS GIANT PROGRAM
Largest Peace Time De-
fense Project in History
to Be Launched.
BY PAUL r. MALLON,
United Press Staf Corresuoudent

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.-As the
cruiser bill started its journey to
the house and the White House on
the way to becoming law. congress
sional leaders today discussed plans
for speeding through an appropria-
ton which would enable the navy
department to lay from two to FIVE
keels within few months.
The house will accept all OF the
senate amendments to the cruiser
bill, Chairman Britten of the house
naval affairs committee told the
United Press today. All members
of his committee. he said, are agree
able to the senate changes and they
will be put through with no delay.
This probably will be done Thurs
Gay, Britten said, permitting the bill
to go to the President within forty
eight hours.
Appropriation to Be Asked
Then it is planned to insert an
Appropriation for the first five cruis-
ers and the aircraft carrier in the
pending naval appropriation bill.
About $12,O0o,O0O will be asked to
start work on the program, Britten
said.
Bearing a 68 to IL sanction by
the senate the bill was signed this
afternoon by the senate enrolling
clerk and despatched to the house,
where it will lie over a day before
being taken up for ratification of
the minor senate amendments.
With the swift passing Of these
events in the next few weeks, there
will be launched the largest peace
time national defense program this
nation ever has experienced. None
OF the building plans of pre-war
days approximateS it.
The bill calls for construction OF
fifteen new speedy 10000 ton
cruisers which can OUTRAGE and out
shoot the numbering battleshipS, and
an aircraft carrier built in modern
style at a cost of $19.0o0,000. The
cruisers are to cost S17.000,000 each.
Under terms of the bill. their keelS
must be laid at the rate of five
a year during the next three years.
Accept Amendment
Coolidge wanted to eliminate
the three-year time limit so his sue
cessor PreSident-E Hoover could
negotiate for further disarmament
before starting to build, but the
senate was adamant and refused to
accede to his wishes just as the
house refused year ago.
The senate voted down all OBJ
jectionable amendments as fast as
they were offered before it passed
the bill by a majority of 68 to II
Only one amendment was accepted
the Reed-Borah amendment Sug-
gesting the executive department
should negotiate treaties with all The
principle maritime powers to pro-
tect the property rights of neuTal
at sea in war time. The vote Cr
ltllS NdS o. w L Will O4lAg GCs-~A NOA
Bruce of Maryland dissenting The
house is expected to accept the
amendment without much debate.
Earlier in the two weeks of senate
debate which preceded the pas
sage of the bill Tuesday, the senate
had adopted its committee amend
ment requiring that the navy de-
partment should not go outside the
navy yards to buy any material.
which economically could be manu-
factured in the yards. The amend.
ment was a restriction on the houss
provision that eight of the ships bt
built in government yards and sever
in private shipbuilding yards. There
may be more debate over this clause
in the house, but leaders plan tt
accept 1t without sending the bill tC
conference