Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-12-23
DANIELS WANTS BIG NAVY
House And Naval Committee Prepared
To Inquire Into Relative Strength
OF Navies OF Three Powers

intentions
OF Great Britain and Japan to seek
tripartite agreement with the United
States for limitation Of warship build
ing programs came up for discussion
IN congress recently.
Before the house naval committee,
Secretary Daniels presented his rec
Ommendations for naval construction
with this comment:
II profoundly believe that the Unit
ed States cannot afford to take five
year naval holiday as it has been
Tumored England and Japan will sug-
gest to this country.
1T would be a blunder, almost a
crime, for the United States to enter
into an alliance either to suspend or
curtail naval building or for any 9TH
er purpose. 1t would certainly make
for suspicion among the other ma
tons"
The text of Senator Borah's resolu-
ton follows:
Whereas, a representative and Of
Ificial of the Japanese government has
advised the world that the Japanese
government cannot consent even to
consider a program of disarmament
on account of the naval building pro-
gram of the United States; and,
Whereas, by this statement, the
world is informed and is expected to
believe that Japan sincerely desires
to support a program of disarmament,
but cannot do so, in safety to herself,
on account of the attitude and build
ng program of this governemnt; and,
Whereas, the only navies whose size
and efficiency require the considerar
ton of this government in determin-
Il ing the question of the size OF the
navy are those of Great Britain and
Japan, two governments long assocl-
ated by alliance; and,
Whereas, the United States is now
and has ever been in favor of prac-
teal program of disarmament, now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, by the senate and house
of representatives of the United
States in congress assembled, That the
president of the United States is re-
quested if not incompatible with the
public interest, to advise the govern
lments of Great Britain and Japan, re-
spectively, that this government will
at once take up directly with these
governments and without waiting the
action of any other nation, the quse-
ton of disarmament with view OF
uickly coming to an understanding
by which the building program of each
of these governments, to-wit, OF Great
Britain, Japan and the United States,
shall be reduced annually during the
next five years to SO per cent of the
present rate.
Second, That it is the sense of the
congress that in case such an un-
derstanding can be reached, that it
will conform in it's appropriations and
building program to such an agree
|ment.
Resolved, further, That this plan
is suggested by the congress OF the
United States, in order to bring about
a substantial reduction in the naval
armament of the world"
Senator Borah's resolution went to
the foreign relations committee with
out debate. The Idaho senator said he
would urge prompt action.
at calls for direct action with the
only powers concerned" said Sena-
ter Borah. ut would develop wheth-
er Great Britain and Japan are sin
cere in the talk about reducing arma-
ments. If they are not, we can quit
talking about it,
The house naval committee prepared
to inquire into the relative strength
of the navies of the three powers. 1t
was informed by Admiral CoontZ, the
chief of naval operations, who accom-
panied Secretary Daniels, that II all
building were suspended the compar-
alive CAPITAL ship tonnage figures
would be: Great Britain S64,6OO; Unit
ed States, 46S,O00; Japan, $4,000. The
officer was instructed to be ready to
discuss in detail at an executive ses-
sion the question of relative strength
existing and projected.