New-York tribune., 1921-05-14
BOrall Assails
Naval Bill as
w astefuul Folly
Witt, Millions Idle, Business
Demoralized and Taxes
Piling Up, u. s. Can't AT
ford Half Billion. He Says
Would Begin Disarming
Hopes for Opportunity to
Make Harding sviewsPub-
lie; A Senators Join Attack
From The T,4bune's Washington Bureau

FROM The 1rt6uae's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, May Is. - Debate
over the s5oo,ooo.0oo navy appropria-
tion bill in the Senate grew more in
tense to-day. Senator Borah, of Idaho,
took the lead in an attack on the bill
as it came from the Naval Affairs Com
nittee and denounced the increase of
Slo0,0o0,0o0 over the House measure
which was made by that committee.
He called attention to the fact that at
time when 5000 900 men are out of
work, industry is demoralized, and
when Secretary of the Treasury Mellon
himself is calling for relief for the peo-
pie from staggering" burdens of taxa
tion, the Republican leaders had no
plan to limit present expenditures.
The House bill, calling for approx
mately $4oo,ooo,ooo, Senator Borah
held, was ample, and there was no JUS
tifcation for increasing it as the SEN
ate committee had done. He warned
the Senate the actual effect as we'll as
the psychological effect on the public
of increasing the bill in this fashion
would not he desirable. He spoke for
an agreement looking toward disarma-
ment.
Others JOHN in Criticism
Senator'S Norris, of Nebraska; King,
of Utah; Heffin, of Alabama, and Ken
yon, of Iowa, joined in denouncing the
extravaganza of the bill and in urging
an expression by the Senate in favor OF
cutting down armaments. No progress
was made in consideration of the bill.
Senator Borah said the House fixed
the navy personnel at 100000, whereas
the Senate committee increased this to
100000. He called attention to the fact
that the Japanese naval personnel was
about $4,000 and that of Great Britain
10000. He held this government could
afford to limit it's personnel to the
number of the personnel of the British
navy.
He asked the naval committee to ad-
wise the taxpayers of America, il 120,-
900 men are now required to keep the
ships affoat, how many will be needed
when the sixteen battleships now under
construction are completed.
Questions Need of More
"The proponents of large navy in
this country" said Senator Borah,
"say that the British navy is much
larger and more powerful than ours,
and that navy is now getting along
with personnel of 10000 men. When
it comes to seamanship and to ade-
quacy of defense from the seaman's
standpoint, | think it safe to say that
the strength of the British navy IS
ample to secure the safety of the
British possessions, and if that be tr!e
what possible reason can be assigned
for the United States adding $4,000
men to the number the British regard
as sufficient to protect the far flung
British possessions?
"One has only to look at the bills
pending before Congress, and which
will pass, to know that at the end of
this fiscal year the expenditures will
be greater than they were in 1920 for
the actual running expenses of the
government" Mr.. Borah continued. IF
there is any effort upon this side of
the chamber being incubated anywhere
to limit the expenditures of the gov
ernment, it is not yet revealed. Secre
tary Mellon tells US that the nation
cannot continue spending at this
shocking rate. The country clamocs
for relief from war taxation.
eve were advised by a member of
&c Finance Committee q few weeks
ago that he would appropriate this
year $4,50o,000,0o0 and that at the
end Of the year we would have deficit
of from $1,500,o00 900 to $4,000 900 900
and the best estimates that can be
given by those who have the courage
and are willing to present them is