The Washington herald., 1921-02-12
POindexter Charges Brit
ish Propaganda Back of
Navy Holiday.
SAYS BATTLESHIP
is STILL VICTOR
Senator Claims English
Could Well Afford to
Stop Building.
BY ROBERT BARRY.

The navy has pitted the battleshiP
against the airplane. but has yet to
be convinced that the dreadnauGht
should be scrapped, Senator Miles
w Poindexter, Republican Of
Washington, declared in the Senate
yesterday during a lively debate
over disarmament. The Senator in
dicated he based his statement on
testimony given by naval officers in
executive session during considera-
tion Of the Borah resolution sug-
gssting a six-month suspension Of
construction Of capital ships.
Senator Poindexter declared, dur
ing a eolIoquy with Senator Borah,
that the navy had for some time
been carrying on experiments iE
launching torpedoes from airplanes
against battleships, and is encoun-
tering many difficulties in establish
ing what the Senator from Idaho
would have US adopt as a naval
policy" The Navy Department al
ready had announced unsuccessful
efforts were made to bomb the bat
tIeship Iowa from airplanes.
Airplane Auxiliary.
In view of the support given
Senator Poindexter by Senator
Lodge and other Republican Sena-
tors interested in naval affairs, it
was clear the Republican policy
would be to continue the construc-
tfon Of capital ships while acquir-
ing submarines and all other mod
crn auxiliaries, including airplanes'
Aeronautics, it was indicated, would
play a large part in naval strategy
but would not become the sole reli-
snce Of the United States. The air.
plano will supplement, not supplant'
the dreadnaught.
After Senator Poindexter had stat
ed that testimony given in eNecu'
tive session before the Naval Al
fairs Committee confirmed newspa-
psr reports to the effect that naval
officers charged British propagan-
dfSts in the United States were urg'
ing a suspension of naval construc-
lion by this country, Senator Borah
demanded that such testimony be
riyen to the American people he
argued that il the British govern
nent were guilty of such practice
A. was not less unfriendly to the
we're the acts of German Ofhcia
agents in this country.
Questions Reports.
Ha said he didnot believe the re-
norts- and Senator Brandegee, Re
publican, of Connecticut, Joined him
- his skepticism. Mr.. Borah de-
cIared however. that if he were able
- obtain a transcript of the testi-
r,onv taken by the Senate Commit
tee he would make it public de-
mite Mr.. Poindexters insistence
that matters Of that kind bearing
Ipon the international relations OF
the United States should be held in
secrecy.
the report Of the Senate Commit,
tee on the Borah suspension resolu-
ton.
states were to halt work on its
capitsI ships, this nation would bt
nIaying into the hands of another
r1tion which is now working on ar
elaborate construction program. Ht
declared those six months CoulC
never be regained and he became
very emphatic in urging that Amer
tea never suspend for an hour unit
there was an agreement among th'
Leading powers for reduction o
ornaments.
Urges Constant Work.
The Senator from Washington de
cIared that Great Britain with dou
Bile the battleship line of any othe
nation could well afford" to urg,
that the United States suspend con
struction of capital ships for si'
months. There were frequent ref
orences to the. japanese naval pro
gram, and it was argued that an!
Cessation in the United States sim
ply was a ready means Of permit
ling other powers to go ahead. H
opposed the suspension suggestion
as a defeatist policy.
Borah insisted the Navy Depart
nent never had made any real in
vestigation of the relative merit
of the airplane and the battleshtI
II was then that Mr.. Poindexter dis
closed naval activities.
senator Poindexter entered a pro
test against what he viewed as
widespread notion that America
dreadnaughts would lack airplan
and submarine protection in an,
battle with an enemy aerial force
II was idle, he urged, to picture tn
confict of % one between a singl
hattIeship standing still and per