Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-03-13

stirred the country the past #
q fixed program to bring abou
approximate disarmament" Presi,
dent Harding calls it-and that is all
that can be hoped for. But when the
approximate disarmament begins, on
4 peace basis. the United States wants
to be in such q position Of strength
that it will have fairly respectable
service when the scaling down is COM
pleted.
Practical Oisarmlng.
President Harding and his advisers
believe in going about disarmament
in practical'rather than theoretical
way. The new president is surrounded
by an intensely practical set of men,
q very determined set and very
courageous one. They believe that the
United States can lead the way to-
ward disarmament only If this coun-
try demonstrating to the world that it
can, il need be, build and maintain q
navy bigger than any other nation, not
excepting England, as Secretary DENLY
declared at the Navy League dinner.
When Mr.. DENLY made his big
navy" talk he knew exactly what was
doing and what weight was attached
to his address. Mr.. DENLY had dis
cussed naval policies with Mr.. Hard
ing at st. Augustine just prior to the
inauguration and he knew what was
in the mind Of the man now president.
Mr.. Hardings decision that the United
States should 20 ahead with it's naval
building program and that a definite
policy should mark the early days of
his administration was based upon an
association of ideas.
Outlines Program.
First, To impress the world that
the United States is the only country
IN q financial condition to continue
building and enlarsing the naval pro-
Second, Having demonstrated this
fact the United States showing
aincerity of purpose by agreeing to an
approximate disarmament.
Third, An increase in the navy at
this time to something approaching the
strength of the British navy. and
clearly outranking all other navies ia
the world, including Japan, would
leave the United States in decidedly
advantageous position when the per.
manent approximate disarmament
rules are laid down at world confer
ence.
Relative Strengths Same.
It is agreed generally that there is
but one system by which ornaments
can be cut down justly and that is to
leave relative strengths Of fleets just
where they are at the time the dis
armament actually is agreed upon. II
Great Britain, therefore, should enter
the conference with a naval strength
Of two to one compared with the
American navy, Americas navy would
have to remain just that much inferior
to the British navy for the rest OF
time, or so long as the disarmament
agreement remained in effect. II u
should enter the conference with bo
battleships, she might come out with
80. If the United States went in
with 80 ships she would come out
with 10. Whatever percentage OF cut
is decided upon it will have to apply
evenly to all countries on their naval
strength at a given date.
Ships actually under construction
will, of course, be considered at the
disarmament conference and the rela-
tive strength Of the American navy
will be greatly enhanced by the presi-
dents decision to ask congress to go
ahead with the building program which
contemplates the addition of several
capital ships Of the line.
Shuns Olive Branch.
.~, The presidents very practical adj
ministration does not believe 1t can
accomplish much by supplying all naval
construction and sallying forth IN the
world only with an olive branch. 1t
believes that the hard and sure way OF
I,Cor opf
use a powerful American navy as a
cluh. No member Of the Harding adj
rninistration desires to enter naval
building race with any other country.
Permanent peace for the world is in
the heart Of every American. If an
agreement for naval reductions cannot
he reached the United States very
easily can show it's ability to point
the way in that high spirit Of concillia-
ton which is to mark the Harding ad-
ministration. The president BY pos
sessing q navy will show to the rest
of the world that the United States is
ready to make heavy sacrifices to
bring about state of approximate
disarmament which would make wars
less likely, in. all probability, less dead
Borah Not Considered.
In all certainty Mr.. Harding feels.
however, that the position Of the
United States in the world today en-
titles this country to naval strength,
under any agreement, approaching that
Of the most powerful navy authorized
at the disarmament conference. In
administrative circles there is no con-
sequence in the view Of Senator Borah,
author of the naval holiday resolution,
that 1t would be policy Of bad faith for
the United States to 60 ahead with
naval construction at the very time an
invitation to a disarmament conference
is about to be sent to the rest of the
-