Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-26
WASHINGTON AFFAIRS
Special to The Bulletin)

of the most important bills introduced the past week was that in which Rogers of the 5ta Massachusetts district urged that the president be authorized to call naval disarmament. Coupled with the pill was & clause recommending a big navy during whatever period of delay might ensure before disarmament could be brought about In a talk with the Bulletin correspond ent regarding details of the bill and the need of such action, MT. Rogers said in | part: Ever since came to congress I | have been in favorf of preparedness. I be mistaken for sympathy with pacifsts. 1 With existing conditions in Europe I do | not believe there can be army disarma. l nnent. France is in dread of Germany,j Poland and other nations of Eastern Eu- rope are in terror of invasion by the Rus | sian bolsheviks and other nations feel they must Dc ready to resort to arms at l | moments notice. Unless Europe dis afvne 1t would not be prudent for the I United States to do so But with naval disarmament it is entirely different. Only five or six nations possess nayies worthy of the name. They are the United States, | Great Britain, France, Italy and perhaps one or two more. If these half dozen powers agree on a naval program it
 would instantly become world wide in effectiveness. Naval strength is relative
 not actual The important element is
 how strength of the United States com pAres to the strength of other powers. By agreement to limit armament a great burden of taxation would be lifted from
 all nations. No nation can afford to fall
 to keep up it's navy and fall back into -a position of infdriety. The United
 States has about see. .ooo tons of first class | Aara fMa f,s hn.
 that tonnage and Japan about one half. Scppose the United States stop building
 and Great Britain and Japan keep on,
 then we should fall Into third place or even lower. In my judgment such a course would be suicidal.
 am net . pacthst but I believe m in- , ternational program for disarmament should be established as quickly as pos- sibie. but that in the meantime the l United States should have the protection 3 of navy second to none. 1 believe we 5 should be the first to make 4 formal re- quest for international action along the line of disarmament We have no self fish or self agranaizing program. The . president has no authority to call such a . conference without specific authority . from congress So I am urging it shall be ,. granted him without delay. do not n think it necessary to make 1t A world Il WiuS CoAAcESkECc, puC Oniy OI the great k nations, as an agreement could be more quickly reached in that way and other !. nations have such small navies or none al all that their cooperation is not so essen . tfal. Such conference should be held ir the United States. General Persning General Bliss. Elihu Root and many oth. 's CT men of experience in international af e fairs believe such conference would pro. tt duce direct and instant good. My beliei | ir kkak klN Il L. g..
 and no country could resist the demand
 that an effective peace plan be effected.
 Although the United States is less heavil,
 taxed than are some other nations yet V, . are now spending more than $5.000 900 10 day as an insurance against future war n although no war is in sight.
 iy Such move for disarmament as tn rs calling of an international conferenc ln would give tremendous impetus to tn
 cause of disarmament. II wifi irnmeas ,, urably strengthen the hands of the presi dent if congress, in unmistakable lang S uage, declares its policy and it's purpose
 Interviews with members sf the Ne,
 England delegation show strong sym u- pathy with the Rogers biils Not ma ve on those delegations expressed cortfar ve views and many of them said T shall q heI all can to support such a measure an d. bring about such conference. Until il .Y. ternational disarmament can be agree ,r- On. however, believe we should have :. "second to none" navy in order to prot =. erly protect the United States"
 = Speaker Gllett has had . vsxed que
 ton to decide. Shall the reading clerk q the house shout Robertson when l wy calls the road instead of prefxinS the tit 'rt Miss when he reaches the name of Mi on Robertson. the only women member to the house? It would have been Mi ,as Robertson without 6 question had n .v- Miss said to the clerk yesterday, Plea '.a say just Robertson, the same as v, '' would do for 9 man. Won't that
 disrespectful?" asked the. clerk. Y les know we all want to do just tho rig
 thing by you" 'rNot bit disrespAetf ose Besides why emphasize the fact that I the an old maid every time the roll is called ;ai. countered Miss Alice with mer re- twinkle in her bright grey eyes. "wel aa1 Sighed the clerk dubiously, 'I'lI have =. ask the Speaker about it." So | f 'ie minutes later Speaker Gillett corner ofk Miss Alice in the lobby and asked her
 it were really her preference. "Indeed ate is," she answered and he respected i .th. wishes.
 cen Bills intredaoed by New England n kes this week also meet with very fene .inG favor from men representing that s ,ted ton of the country, as well as ia Gar leaders coming from south and west. { ,m. is the bill put in by Senator Noses
 New Hampshire asking for an appro, ,Se ation of $1,5oe,be0 for the erection O . "u' splendid memorial in France in honor mes the American soldiers, sailors and I and rinAs who died in inc great var N, d. different plans have been suggested
 commemorate the heroisfn Of those n
 but the one proposed by MT. Moses
 have one splendid structure located n their Heights of the Marne, seem to IT with very general approval.
 Another important measure was
 bill put in by Senator Reyes of ! Hampshire asking for the continuance ehis the Weeks forestry act, and carryin 'o IS $10.000.e 900 appropriation t6 extend reof. a period of five years. CT until
 money shall be expended Mir Reyes ltion just been appointed member of 'eaty Forestry commission.
 king One of the most amusing ineident
 the congress of the Daughters of
 American Revolution just held here ,ho- when the president general Mrs N Id of oi Connectcut ana wee Fresfoent | each srss. -at thA;- +;.,As a.,SaS It Naas
 this way: Mrs. Miner who by the
 has made one of the best presiding noer- flcers that organization has ever ha erant accustomed to refer to members of in 1t governing beard as president general
 MT. Coolidge the difference between
 D. A. R.'s and the D. R.'s is neglis nless And this is what occurred. T have gets honor to present to you the wee pres