Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-02-01
NAVY BILL MAY CUT
FORCES TO 100000;
DANIELS APPROVES
Will Allow Construction
Program to. Proceed
Unhampered.
NUMBER OF OFFICERS WILL
NOT BE REDUCED BY ACT
Total of 100000 Recon-
mended for Sea Fighters by
Subcommittee of House.
X REDU CTION OF S3s, ,OO0, ,0Ot
Wonid Ncccssitatc Tying Up Somt
of Oldest Battlcships-Win
Use All DcstrOycrs.
NUMBER OF OFFICERS WILL
NOT BE REDUCED BY ACT
RED ucTION OF $4,000, 900
Wonid Nccessitatc Tying Up Some
of Oldest Battlcships-WnI
Use All DestrOycrs.
lBy Associated Press. J


WASlilNGToN. Jan. 3l.-The MAYA!
appropriation bill. which will prob
ably be reported 20 the House We'd
nssdaF, carries approximately $685.
100000 a reduction Of about $4,000. :
900 from the amour: appropriated Il
year ago. and s2Si.000.00o less than
departmental estimates. -
An appropriation Of s3s3.UOO ,c0o in
IN" opinion of the members OF the
appropriations subcommittee wnica
framed tie bill. would nccessitatc n
reduction OF the navy's enlisted per.
sonncl from a present possible max
i'num 81 $4,000 20 "A maximum of
100000. hut would permit continu-
alton Of the navy's building. program
at The same rat. az during the cur
rcnt fiscal year.
Chairman Kelly. of the subcom,nit-
tee, declared today that a force OF
100000 regulars would he ample for
the navy's needs during the year be-
ginning July /. The potential strcngta n
Of the navy. he added, can bc main
;hincd with this number OF men, cspe-
rially since approximately 10000
men. whc formerly were bucjackcts
but are now civilians, would be avail
able In an emergency.
Won't Reduce Officers.
There Will he no cut in the mum
Der OF officers. according 10 Repre-
! sentative Kelly. who said the sub
committee beileyed every one of the
$500 now. In service ssbouldssbesIes
taincd. Trained officers. he declared.
are the nucleus OF an efficient navy.
| ana IL would be mistak" 10 fore:
! economics In tina, direction.
we have drafted the bill, with TIE
aim of maintaining the potential
strength OF the navy so it1can bc
GR.cy" said Mr.. Kelly. who aided
that during conference, with Pre-
;f'-nt-i:ieci !iarIirG at Marion. he
hni gained the impression tina, -ir.
Harding favored smch a policy.
y navy OF 100000 men would be
sufficient L. man all nrst-ciass fight
ing craft, according TO, The subcor
mittce chairman.
We would have enough men 90 keep
100 des;royers and all of our sub
marines in service, he declared. 1t
probably would be necessary 10 tie
up som. out OF date ships, hut il is
advisable to dc that in order to econ
oIaiEr.
Use OF only modern craft. in the
subcommittec's opinion. would cut
down the amount of repair work at
various shore bases and would per-
nit /; reduction In land forces AID
the possible abandonment Of some
stations. No provision is made in the
bill for abandonment; of any OF the
navy's land bases. Mr.. Kelly assert
ing that such economies are matters
OF administration 10 he worked cut
by the next Secretary of the Navy.
Daniels Approves.
Secretary Daniels. commenting 20
night on the probability OF reducing
the enlisted personnel OF the navy TO
100. 000 men, said such a curtailinent
necessarily would rcsul; In placing
number OF the older baitleships and
smaller craft in reserve commission
with skeleton crews, hut would not
seriously cripple the navy.
The committees action is not nm
expected" the nava! chief said. We
still will he able to keep all the
latest attleships and about % per
cent OF the new destroyers i'll full
commission"
Secretary Daniels added tina; he had
opposed in his testimony before the
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