Omaha daily bee., 1921-06-22
Cut in Naval
Expansion
Is Probable
House Conferees Agree to Ac-
cept Borah Amendment
Calling for Curtailment
By Three Nations
Action Follows Ohio Bolt
BY ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.


Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.
Washington, June 2i.-An agtee-
ment reached by the conferees on
the naval appropriation bill today
paves the way, it is now believed,
for the triumph of the Borah amend
ment providing for an international
curtailment of naval expansion.
Facing a spreading republican re-
volt in the house against the admin
istration attitude ON the question, the
house conferees gave up their fight
to eliminate or modify the Borah
amendment and agreed to accept it.
The senate conferees were forced to
yield the elimination of nearly all
the $o8,000,000 increase in the ap-
propriations by the senate.
The surrender of the house con-
ferees will bring the Borah amend
ment squarely before the house,
where it is expected that its adoption
will speedily follow, although Rep
resentative Mondell, republican lead
er. and Representative Porter, chair
man of the foreign affairs commit
tee, insist they will continue to press
their disarmament proposal, which
has the backing of President Har-
ding.
Requests Naval Curtailment.
The Borah amendment unani-
mously adopted by the senate, re-
quests the president to enter into
with Great Britain and
Japan for the curtailment of naval
building. The substitute, drafted by
Mondell and Porter with the admin
istration's approval, would involve
the curtailment of naval building in
the endless and intricate controv-
ersy over general land disarmament
and would express the concurrence
of the house in the presidents ef-
forts to effect reduction of arma-
ments.
Charges have been made that the
substitute proposal was designed to
kill the Borah amendment. Repub-
lican leaders in the house announced
last week that they would press their
substitute to a vote as an entirely |
separate resolution on Monday. When
they began a canvass of the situation
they discovered that there was a
strong sentiment against their plan
among the republicans and that they
would have to combat healthy in
surgent move allied with the solid
democratic strength.
Ohio Decides to Bolt.
The Ohio delegation, composed en-
.irely of republicans, held confer
.nce and decided to bolt, although
here were differences as to the
method of bolting. Some of the
ohioans announced that they would
stand by the Borah amendment while
others wanted Representative Bur
on, one of the leading industrial
in congress, to draft a
but the republican men,
oers of the foreign afafirs committee
urned it down. Then the Wiscon-
in delegation went on the rampage
md decided, almost unanimously, to
support the Borah resolution.
With this situation behind them,
he house conferees went into the
laval conference in badly weakened
condition. The argument was made
hat dragging in the whole question
# disarmament on land as well as
IN sea would involve the question
# cutting down naval expenditures
n hopeless ENHANCEMENT. On the
,ther hand, it was pointed out that
he United States, without waiting
or action of other powers. has cut
he size of its army to 10000 men,
eaving hardly enough for policing
purposes.
England Favorable. |
Another influential factor in the
situation was the speech of Pre-
nier Lloyd George Yesterday in
which he expressed willingness on
he part of the British government
o enter into naval building holi-
lay with the United States and
[apan. In this connection, Senator
3orah issued statement in which
le declared that public sentiment in
III three countries is practically
.nited in favor of the cutting down
lavy expenditures. |
"The opportunity is here for the
United States to lead the way" said
senator Borah. "If we falter, or re-
use, the situation will be, so far
S the naval race is concerned, prac-
nally as it was between Germany
nd England after their failure to
,et conference from 1900 to 1905.
ia continue on such a course is sheer