Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-01-04
80 PER Gent
CUT ASKED
IN B0RAH
MEASURE
Senate Committee Consid-
ers Resolution Looking To
a Reduction BY England,
Japan and United States.
FRANCE AND ITALY
MAY BE INCLUDED
1t May Be Possible That
Smaller Armies As Well
As NavieS Will Be InCIud-
ed In the Discussions.

Washington, Jan. 3.-Re-
duction in world naval con-
struction was taken up to-
day by the senate foreign
relations committee at exec
utive hearings which will be
continued Wednesday and
which may run for some
weeks.
The committee had before
it the Borah resolution ask
ing President Wilson to ini-
tiate negotiations with Great
Britain and Japan, looking
to a reduction of so per cent
in the naval building pro-
gram of those countries and
the United States. It was
understood that considerable
sentiment developed to in
clude France and Italy, but
this was opposed by Senator
Borah who was said to have
argued that those countries
would follow the lead of the
United States, Great Britain
and Japan, and that if they
became a party to the nego-
tiations, a reduction of ar
mics as well as navies would
enter into the discussions.
Daniels Opposes Plan.
Great Britain. the senator was
reported to have said, could be ex-
| pected to urge reduction of the
French army if she would consent
to reducing her navy.
Admiral Coontz. chief of naval
operations. and his aides were the
only witnesses today. Committee
members said others would be
called but that there had been no
suggestion that Secretary Daniels
be invited to appear. The secre-
| tary in his conference with news
paper men reiterated his opposition
to the Borah resolution and said
that so far as he had been advised
| President Wilson had taken nc
| steps looking to disarmament
| conference among the world pow.
erS.
Admiral COontz, senators said
| opposed the Borah resolution OF
any other plan based on a percent
age reduction In building, arguine
a reduction would fail to bring
about any equalization Of navaI
| power because of the different size
of the program of the nations. He
said that the American building
program was the largest and the
Japanese second, but that even
with the completion of the Jap
anese program, Japan's navy would
have only about half the strength
of the American navy. Great Bri-
tain's building program is compar-
atively small the senator's were
said to have been told. and unless
it Is increased before 1924, the
American navy would about equal
the British
Japs Expedite Program.
To expedite her program, Japan
is having three large battleships
built in England, according to in
formation received by the navy in
telligence service and Transmitted
to the senate committee.
France and Italy have small
| building programs, Admiral Coont2
was said to have testified but they
are hampered by lack of funds
France, he stated, had several cap
ital ships laid down before the
war upon which no work has beer
done since peace was declared.
Data as to foreign navies was
presented by Admiral Coontz. AL
principal powers, senator's said
they We're informed, were spending
considerable money to keep them,
selves informed on the naval and
military activities of other nations
4