The Washington herald., 1921-01-04
Plan to Include France
And Italy Urged on
Senators.
ADMIRALS THROW
ON COLD WATER
KoontZ and Long Frown
On Any Sudden
Reductions.
Rr ROBERT BARRY.

The Borah resolution for a tVe-
year naval holiday began to encoun'
ter snags yesterday. offered for a
specific purpose, it became subject
to friendly suggestions which might
promote an international takfest
instead of immediate action toward
reduction Of naVies.
The Borah resolution was offered
to obtain an immediate response tc
a suggestion by the United State:
that this country, Great Britain and
Japan agree to restrict naval con
struction for five years to the extent
OF 50 per cent Of current expendi'
lures.
The Senator from Idaho believed
that If the three dominant naval
powers sat down to a council table
for that specific purpose. the world
would be convinced that at las'
something definite was about to hap
pen. He objected to the idea Of a
general conference of nations. He
was convinced that the disarmament
program of the league of nations
assembly would be a matter of in
ternational conversations for three
to five years. At the end of that
period any definite program would
have to be referred back to the sew
eral governments for their consid-
Grafton and approval. His resOlu-
tiOn undertook to start at once by
direct action of the three leading
naval powers.
Want scope BrOadened.
A hearing on the Borah resolu-
tion yesterday developed a decided
inclination to include France and
Italy in the proposed Invitations
The Senate Committee on Foreign
Relations, which has the measure
rather leaned to that notion.
A further suggestion was to
eliminate the specific -hfty per cent
reduction" provision. Instead OF
entering the conference to agree oil
disagree upon a fixed ratio of ta-
pering of in naval construction
the five nations would be privileged
to have individual and counter
proposals, all of which it is thought
would tend to prOlOng discussion.
The Senate committee heard Rear
Admiral Robert E. Koontzs~Chief OF
Naval Operations, and Rear Admira,
Andrew T. Long, Chief of Naval
Intelligence.
They discussed the status of naval
development and were not impressed
with the feasibility of the provision
for an arbitrary cut in new con.
struction. They argued that gradu.
ated reductions would be essential
Say Navy View weakens.
Senator Borah did not discuss the
action of the committee, but there
was a distinct feeling about the
Senate that the supporters of the
resolution regarded the suggested
amendment as weakening the whole
proposal. The committee will re,
part the resolution with some
changes. There was no vote yester-
day, as it was desired to enable
Senator Thomas Walsh, Democrat
I Of Montana, to discuss a disarma-
ment resolution he has introduced
The Walsh measure would have the
United States cooperate with the
league of nations disarmament com.
mission. Republican Senators are
opposed to that
One Of the chief points about the
BOrah resolution was that it con-
fined to small circle responsibility
for continuance OF lavish expendi.
lures for naval construction. If the
United States, Japan or Great Bri-
tain would not agree to a specified
progress, it was argued, then the
world would know at once who was
responsible. With other powers
than the three leaders in naval
strength taken in on a conference
for general discussion, responsible
fly could not be fixed so easily.
House to Consider Bill.
The House Foreign Affairs Com
mittee will begin hearings on the
resolution introduced by Edwin r
Brooks, of Illinois, authorizing the
President to invite all nations 10
send delegates to a convention 10
provide for disarmament probably
next Monday. The time for be,
ginning the hearings will be def
nitely decided when Stephen q
Porter, of Pennsylvania, chairman
of the committee, returns to Wash
ington.
The committee plans to request
the appearance of persons from ali
walks of life, according to Repre-
sentative Brooks, and will invite
Col. s. B. Wetherel, of PhiladeI-
phia; Harold A. Hatch, of New
York: Edward A. Filene, Of Boston
Hugh S. Magill, secretary of the
National Educational Association:
Miss Julia Lathrop, head of the
ChiIdren's Bureau, of the Depart
ment Of Labor; Henry Wiley, edi-
tor of Good Housekeeping; Gen.
John J. Pershing and Gen. Tasker
H. Bliss
Copyright, 1871, Public Ledger Co..