New-York tribune., 1920-12-28
Advises
World Action
To Limit Navy
Sea Power of u. S. Must Be
Second to None if We Do
Not Enter Into Some
Association, He Insists
Suggests Special Parley
Senator johnson Declares
Five Nations Can Pre-
vent War if They Will
from The Tribuno,s Washtnator Bureau

QSHtnQtO1t
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.-If the
American government does not enter
some assoc .tion Of nations. future
naval building must be based on the
theory that the American navy must
be second to none. Secretary Daniels
said to-day in denying published re-
ports that the naval estimates now be-
fore Congress provide for a large
building program. At the same time,
III the Senate, Senator Hiram johnson
spoke for disarmament,
"Ihc impression prevails, as l sec
By several published stat nents,"
Secretary Daniels said. "that the naval
estimates this year provide for three
additional battleships, one battle
cruiser and eighty EIGHT other ships.
This is not correct. The estimates
make provision for one airplane car
rier and several small cruisers and
gunboats.
"Jhe suggestion once advanced by
the Navy Department for another large
program was contingent entirely on the
fact that there would be no associa-
limit disarmament. If there is no
league of nations or association of
nations then there ought to be con-
ference Of all nations solely on the
question Of armament along the lines
of the provisions Of the naval bill of
1915 which provided for three year
program"
Holds League Offers Remedy
Secretary Daniels said that the
League of Nations as now formed pro-
vides a way to stop competitive naval
building.
If we don't want to join this
League of Nations" he said, 1--WE can
have conference purely on arma-
ments, along the line suggested bv me
to Congress in 1916, when | recomme nd
ed that the President be empowered
to appoint commission of nine mem
bers to take up with all other nations
the matter of future naval building.
every nation which has joined the
League of Nations has promised this
All they need is to get us in. Now
[ they come back and say let the United
States do it anyhow.
II am not willing to say that the
United States should have a bigger
navy than any other nation in the
world, but l do saw that the United
States is not willing TO play second
fiddle to anybody.
"This is one of the reasons why |
advocated the sinking Of the German
fleet in midocean as an object lesson
to all the world that it is unhealthy
to build great ornaments for purposes
of conquest"
In brief speech in the Senate, Sena-
tor johnson said the powers of the
earth could prevent war bv djsarma-
ment If they desired to do so. He
made these remarks after reading from
an article in a New York newspaper
on disarmament and conditions in the
Near East.
Five Nations Control Issue
eve are all agreed, take it," said
Senator johnson, "that if there is a
real desire among tie powers of the
earth to prevent war they can prevent
it by dsarmamcnt; and if the five
great nations Of the earth who consti-
tuted the five Allied and associated
powers in the World War we're to
meet and decide upon disarmament
40 would have taken the one great step
tnat could be taken toward the promo
tion of peace and the prevention Of all
future wars.
eve all pray, Of course, that that
step may ultimately be taken, and we
commend to some of those outside OF
the chamber who have historically en-.
doavored to direct our course during
the last couple of yoars in new super
government or in h desire to cmbroi
US in European controversies and quar-
rels the one gree. step that may be
taken: disarmament Of the nations OF
the earth for the prevention Of wars in
the future"