The Washington times., 1921-03-17
DENNY ALERT
ON NNAvY PACT
Britain's Open Move for Ship
Reduction, However, Means
Senate Row.
BY GEORGE r HOLMES,
International News Service,


The announcement in London by
the first lord Of the British ad-
miralty that Great Britain is not
only ready but anxious to reach a
naval understanding with the United
States was received with great in
terest in Washington.
Lord Lees frank statement on
England's position, following as it
did the reduction in England's naval
estimates for 1922, was regarded as
highly significant.
DENBY's ATTITUDE OPEN.
Already there is looming up in the
not far distant future q controversy
Of no small proportions over the
naval policy to be followed by the
new administration. In the two weeks
he has been in office, Secretary of the
Navy Denby has indicated clearly in
his few public utterances and in his
conferences with his aides that he is
heartily In favor of an American
navy equal to any in the world, which
in this case means England's. He has
also indicated clearly that he does
not favor a reduction In the Ameri-
can navy until it has reached that
plane of equality.
President Harding has not given
any public Indication OF his attitude
in the matter since entering the
White House, but presumably the
views Of his naval secretary are the
reflection of his own. When DENLY
accepted the portfolio of naval secre-
tary It was announced that the Presi-
dent and Mr.. DENLY were sin full
accord" on naval affairs and policies
In both House and Senate, however,
there are determined groups which
favor an immediate understanding be-
tween the powers for naval reduction
andl partial disarmament, regardless
Of the present relative standings. The
cries against heavy taxation and for
economy in governmental expenditure
beat strongly on congressional ears.
BORAH MOVE DUE RETURN.
Senator Borah's resolution provid-
ing for a naval holiday between
Great Britain, Japan and the United
States failed of passage during the
closing days of the sixty-sixth Con-
gress. 1t is practically certain to be
called up again in the new sixty-sev-
enth, which meets next month.
In the House there are a number
VI uIuCht duNoSdtcs OI reuuC-
ton. Representative Thomas S. But
Ter, of Pennsylvania, chairman of the
Naval Affairs Committee, is anxious
to start the DISARMAMENT wheels a
working.
Naval experts who have studied the
situation believe that the only basis
Of reduction which Great Britain
would agree to would be a percent
age" or "proportionate" reduction.
with each OF the contracting parties
cutting their strength, say. so per cent.
Thus IL Great Britain sat down at
the conference table with a navy 20
per cent stronger than that of the
United States. she would still have a
navy 20 per cent stronger than the
United States after both had agreed
to cut their navies by half.
As thus far disclosed, the naval
policy of the new Administration is
to avoid getting involved in any such
agreement as this. While heartily
favoring naval understanding. the
attitude of Secretary DENLY, the high
ranking officers of the navy, and in
other quarters is that the United
States should not sit down to talk
about cutting navies until her own
strength Is such that she will be pro-
tected whichever way the cat jumps.