Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1916 — GENERAL AND STATE NEWS [ARTICLE]

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many Parts of the Country. SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL Happenings in the Nearby Cities and Towns—Matters of Minor Mention From Many Places. SHIPPING BILL APPROVED #50,000,000 Appropriation for Purchase of Merchant Vessels— O. K. Army Report, , Washington, May 20.—The administration shipping bill, appropriating $50,000,000 for purchase of merchant ships by the federal government with a view to providing an adequate merchant marine, passed the house today by a party vote It now goes to the senate, where a combination of Democrats and Republicans defeated a similar measure a year ago. The house adopted the conference report on the army bill, which now goes to President Wilson. The house passed the shipping bill 211 to 161, only two Democrats voting against it. Nine Republicans, three Progressives and one independent voted favorably and 1 1 members voted “present.” Republican leaders, who during several days of debate made more than a hundred futile efforts to amend the measure and who delayed the vote yesterday by a filibuster, offered no further residence today, permitting a vote as soon as (he house veiled.

Vessels purchased under the bill and not resold, leased or chartered to private interests would be operated by a shipping board until five years after the close of the European war. At the end of that time the board would have to dispose of whatever ships it might have on band. The board itself would continue in existence and discharge its duties of preventing discriminations against shippers, maintaining fair rates and preventng combinations.

Provisions also are made in too bill for use of all vessels in the mer chant marine as auxiliaries to the navy in war time regardless of whether the government has sold them outright, leased or chartered them. Sereretary MeAdoo issued a statement tonight characterizing the bill as “one of the most important pieces of contractive legislation for the commerce and prosperity of this country that could possibly be enacted.”

The vote on the army bill was 341 tto 2a. The bill provides for a regular army with a peace strength of more than 200,000 men, backed by a federalized national guard of more than 400,000, and carries many reorganization features worked out by war department officials to make the nation’s fighting arm more efficient. To complete the main elements o! the program of preparedness on which the administration plans to sepnd more than $ 1,000,000,000 within the next five years, congress still lias to perfect and pass the naval bill, embodying the navy increases, and the fortifications bill, which includes provision for most of the equipment for the increased army. Eighteen Republicans, five Democrats, one Progressive and one Socialist voted against adoption of the conference report. Republican Deader Mann, who believes the measure inadequate, was one of those, voting in the negative.