COOLIDGE CONFIDENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 569, 23 January 1929, Page 9

COOLIDGE CONFIDENT

VOTE ON CRUISER BILL THIS SEASON DELAY ALARMS REPUBLICANS (United P.A. — By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 9.5 a.m. WASHINGTON, Tues. It is reported that President Coolidge is confident that the Senate will reach a vote.on the Cruiser Bill at the present session. The President is represented at White House as believing that the Senate would reach a vote in its own way, although no reference is made to the filibuster alleged to be going on against the Rill In the Senate. It is clear that Mr. Coolidge believes that these tactics will not be effective. A message received yesterday said that the leaders of the Republican Party were alarmed at the continued delay in connection with the 15 Cruisers Bill. On Monday they conferred with the Secretary of the Navy, Mr. W. D. Curtis, and decided to use strenuous efforts to prevent the measure being blocked in the Senate. The conference was called by Mr. Hale, Chairman of the Senate. He complained that the Bill was being “buffeted” by appropriation bills which had the right of way. He said the committee suspected subtle opposition to the measure, and it asked for the co-operation of the leaders of the party in preventing delay. It was feared that if these delays continued for another week the Bill would be involved in a stonewall which would prevent Its enactment before March 4, when the term of the present Congress will end. The leaders agreed that the Senate should meet an hour earlier and adjourn an hour later every day in order to hasten the passage of the Appropriation Bills. They agreed that evening sessions might be necessary next week if the way has not been cleared by then. At any rgte they would not permit the Bill to be jeopardised.