The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-02-16
ENGLAND USES
PROPAGANDA
Determined Effort to Deter
American Naval Building

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE state
ment that he had received suggestions
that Great Britain was circulating
propaganda" in this country TO deter
American naval building was made in
the senate today 10y Senator Borah,
Republican. Idaho. during a general
debate on disarmament. He UNDER
stood, he said, that the facts were in
possession Of the navy department.
Senator PoindeNer, Republican, Of
Washington. author OF the senate
naval cOmmittee's recent adverse re-
port IN Sena. or Borah's suggestion for
a six months naval holiday, in an
swer 10 Il question whether the COM
mittce's investigation had disclosed
any such situation, replied that there
had been some testimony on the
subject but the committee did not be-
licvc it should be made public.
III this information is In the hands
of the navy department" Senator
Dorah said, the congress should
have it. We are informed that in the
archives of the navy department
there is proof of the propaganda con-
Quoted by Great Britain. AT the
same time We are told that the Brit
ish ambassador is on his way here to
suggest II disarmament conference"
| Senator Borah again urged that an
agreement be reached between the
naval powers for reduction of build
/ Ing programs and also advocated a
careful investigation to determine
whether capital ships are tacticaIiy
obsolete
! Unless there is an agreement
reached between the United States
and the powers competing in naval
building" he said, 1t VIII lead TO war
! inGvijabI""
Opinions Of American, British, Ger
man ana other naval experts that
capital ships have become obsolete
were presented by Senator Borah. He
read from letter by an American
rear admiral, retired. who said:
Il would stake my life that in q
few years a surface navy alone can
go nowhere but TO the bottom" <
The name of the officer who wrote
the letter, Senator Borah, said would
be given TO the naval committee IL it
desired. This officer, he added, also
wrote that the United States could
never be attacked successfully by a
power or combination of powers from
overseas.
| Senator PoindeXter, in defending the
naval committts report, supporting
the capital ship building program,
declared that il the United States
accepted the building postponenient
plan IL would, become at once de-
feated nation, would lose it's inslilar
/ posse ssionS' and is citizens would be
able 10 travel the seas only upon
terms laid down by rival nations.
Before sitting down with those ma
tions at the conference table," he
said. "the committee feels we should
take precautions not to sit down dis
armed. II the six months suspen-
sion were adopted we would lose, In
addition, between $15.000,000 and
| $4,000, 600"
The senator said he would like to
know whether Great Britain would
reduce its fleet to the present strength
of the American navy and if Japan
would actually stop naval construc-
ton. He asserted that the British
main fleet was twice as strong as
the American and that Japan would
equal the American strength within
the next three or four years
Senator Smith, Democrat. Georgia.
suggested that Great Britain give the
United States in payment for its war
debt half of its naval forces SO that
the two powers would be equal In
strength.