Middletown transcript., 1921-02-12

marks for execution Of the peace
treaty, while only 17,0OO,OOOOOO
marks had been paid out up to De-
cember l last.
Disarmament, small army and 9th
er forms of unpreparedness got some
hard knocks last week. In the first
place the senate naval affairs commit
tee put the snuffer on the Borah res
olution for a naval construction holi-
day, after hearing Admiral Coontz,
chief of naval operations, and Ad-
miral Taylor, chief constructor
of the navy. Both opposed the
plan for q cessation of naval con-
struction for six months. They said
it would cost as much to do this as to
continue to build, as contractors
would be able to collect large dam
age claims from the government.
Furthermore, they see no need for an
investigation as to what constitutes
modern navy, being convinced by in
vestigations already made that the
capital ship is not obsolete and that
the present program of the United
States is correct.
General Pershing appeared before
the house naval committee and gave
a warning against unpreparedness
and pacifsm. He expressed approval
Of a world conference on disarma-
ment, but said the United States
should proceed with its present army
and navy programs until at least five
great powers have entered into a
definite agreement.
On the other hand, the house for
eign affairs committee reported IA
vorably a resolution authorizing the
President to invite the nations Of the
world to send delegates to a confer
ence to provide for disarmament.
In the house, the fight to prevent
reduction Of the regular army below
175,OOO, was opened by Chairman
Kahn Of the military affairs commit
tee. He said President-elect Harding
told him recently at Marion that he
favored an army Of 175,OOO men, but
that he hoped some day 1t could be
cut down to 10000. Mr.. Kahn also
disclosed Mr.. Harding's belief that
congress should enact legislation pro-
viding voluntary military training for
$4,000 men annually.
Meanwhile economy Of the most
rigid sort is being forced on our reg
ular army by great deficiencies in
funds for the remainder of the fiscal
year. The shortage in the quarter
master corps alone is said to be S94,-
100000. In order to reduce the pro-
spective deficits to the lowest possi-
Bile minimum, the War department or
dered reduction Of 40 to 60 per cent in
the number of civilian employees in
the army; reduction of the consump-
ton of gasoline and lubricants by so
per cent; allowance of clothing, equl-
page and supplies cut to the lowest pos
sible limit, repaired shoes and sal
yaged uniforms to be issued wher-
ever possible; substitution Of canned
food for fresh wherever possible, and
expenses for transportation, commu-
nication and fuel cut to the bone.
Much Of the vocational training, upon
which the recruiting campaign was
based, must now be abandoned, as all
the teaching will have to be done by
army officers.
Gen. Charles G. Dawes Of Chicago,
former chief Of supply procurement
for the American army in France,
made lively and interesting two ses-
sions of the house war investigating
committee. Severely cOndemnfng
what he characterized as political at
tempts to discredit the people who
won the war, he defended the work Of
his department and Of the army in
general, and denied that there was
waste and extravaganza in the liqui-
dation Of American accounts in France
and the sale of surplus stocks to the
French government. AS to the al
legged payment of excessive prices for
euuipment and material, he said this
was necessary to get the job done
quickly and was justified by the fact
that the army did the job. General
Dawes did not mince his language.
and what he had to say of our pink
tea" diplomats in Europe who delayed
matters with their red tape was tonic
in its harshness. The discussion at
one time turned on Great Britain, and
| the general shouted:
II am no more ashamed to stand up
| here for Great Britain than for the
| United States. 1t seems to be fashion
able in American politics to attack