Cruiser bill passes senate

Engineers and contractors interested in shipbuilding were pleased with the passage on February 6 of House of Representative Bill 11526, which provides for the construction of fifteen new 10,000-ton cruisers. This bill passed the Senate with the same provision known as the “time clause” which had been inserted in the House. It provides that construction be started on five ships every three years. The provision was opposed by President Coolidge as, for budgetary reasons, he wanted the time of construction left to the discretion of the President.