New-York tribune., 1921-07-24
Equal Strength
IOBeU.S.Stand
In Arms Parlev
Secretaries of War and Navy
Lead in Getting Together
Data to Form Base for Re-
duced Forces Dissection
Congress Speeches Feared
Sentiment Is Expressed Too
Much Oratory W ouldHave
I'LL Effect ON Conference
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, July 23.-Data of
every description showing the strength
of the armies and navies of all the
principal powers are being c1Mpiled by
the Harding Administration for use
before the conference on armament
limitation, Pacific and Far Eastern
problems which the President has
called to meet in Washington.
Secretary of War Weeks initiated the
move by giving instructions to the army
intelligence staff to prepare figures on
the effective military strength Of the
powers, to be used as the basis for cal
culating the minimum military strength
the United States could agree to accept
in the projected international arrange
ment for the limitation of ornaments.
Secretary of the Navy DENLY has
issued similar instructions in his de-
partment with view to securing data
from which can be figured the mini
mum naval limitation of the United
States. 1t is understood in this connec-
tion that it will be the policy of the
Administration to estimate it's naval de-
fense requirements on par with the
British navy. In other words, while
the United States will stand ready to
curtail naval construction, it will be
unwilling to accede to naval limita
tion the net result of which would give
any nation superiority.
Removed From Idealistic
The preparations for the disarma-
ment conference make clear that the
Administration proposes to meet the
problem from a standpoint very largely
removed from that idealistic attitude
which would concede great deal for
the mere sake of inaugurating a world
movement for the limitation OF arma-
ments. While the Administration is
none the less anxious to effect an in
ternational arrangement that would
tighten the stupendous military and
naval burdens now shouldered by all
the principal powers. it does not pro-
pose to ignore for moment the prac-
tical considerations of national Defense
While it is relatively simple matter
to reach a basis for naval limitation
under the formula that the United
States and Great Britain shall be on
par in effective strength, the ques-
tion Of what is the safe minimum army
has many complications. Waving aside
the fundame ntal necessity of military
establishment adequate to cope with
the aggression of any power or com
bination of powers, the question arises
what minimum army is essential to
police efficiently the continental United
States and the nsular possessions,
This phase Of the military question
alone gives an idea of the great diff
Guilty attached to the preparation of
figures by the War Department for the
disarmament conference.
1t is understood that both the mill
tary and naval minima to be presented
to the world conference by this coun-
try will depend to a considerable ex-
tent on the report of General Leonard
/ Wood on conditions in the American
possessions in the Pacific. General
Wood is expected to return to Wash
ington before November, so that the
Administration will have the benefit of
his observations in advance of the
meeting of the world conference, even
Continued page three)