Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-02-12
HARDING WARNED BY
DANIELS To WATCH
CONGRESS ON NAVY
Influence of President-EIect
and EIihu Root Against
Disarmament Finally Pre-
walls on Senate Committee
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
neased Wire Service to The Journal.l
DOWNRIGHT 1921

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.-The in
and Elihu Root, both of whom ad-
vised Republican leaders in congress
that it would be unwise to commit
America for the present to reduc
ton of naval armament, finally has
prevailed, and the senate committee
on. naval affairs has recommended
that construction on ships already
authorized be continued until an in
ternational disarmament agreement
makes it safe to do otherwise.
About the time that Senator Borah
began his campaign for a three-party
agreement whereby Japan, the United
States and Great Britain would agree
to reduce naval armament, the move
ment in congress to cut down ap-
preparations on ships already under
construction began to grow to an
alarming extent. One day a Repub-
to be calling upon Secretary at the
navy department.
Pm going to Marion tomorrow"
said the Republican member with a
smile-"any message to Senator
Harding? YES" replied Mr.. Daniels
with a twinkle in his eye, tell Har-
ding to look out or he won't have
any navy by the time he's inaugu-
rated the fellows on the hill are
liable to take it away from him be-
fore he. gets a chance to negotiate
for disarmament"
View From Other Quarters
Several days later the same view
was brought to President-Elect Har-
ding from other quarters. The plan
| of having Elihu Root write letter to
mem bers of the house committee on
naval affairs was adopted in order to
prevent action in the house which
| might embarrass Mr.. Harding when
| he took office. Similarly conferences
with Senate leaders ensued and Mr.
Harding made it plain that it would
be unwise for the United States to
| take the initiative in disarmament
when there was no assurance con-
corning the attitude of other pow
| ers, and that it would be particularly
embarrassing if the United States
scrapped her navy and then sat down
| to the table with the other powers
in an attempt to induce them to dc
! likewise. ~. .-..t
Mr.. Harding took the view tina
| the United States would have mucl
conference, not only if she CONTINUED
! to build the ships which had already
been authorized, but if she showed
the world that she would continu,
| to expand her navy unless an abso
Lutte agreement were entered into re
| I'M hn al i ~
| the burdens of taxation which 6
naval building grace would entail.
| The action of the senate naval at
| fairs committee in contending tina
| the United States must have a navy
"at least equal to that of any Other
power" is not jingoistic observa
| ton nor the beginning of any naval
istic ambitions aimed at Great Brit
ain or any other power.
G. o. p. Policy
1t is, on the other hand, par
Of the Republican policy of compel
| ling disarmament by building up tC
the naval strength of any other pow.
| States and Great Britain in agree
ing jointly to reduce ornaments may
be, followed by powers of lesser IA
val strength.
Having succeeded in suspending fol
| the present the movement in congress
| to curtail building appropriations, il
| is to be expected that naval expendi-
| lures of other kinds will be sharply
pruned. Although Mr. Borah and 9th
ers probably will not consent to be
silent on disarmament proposals. the
| chance of action by the present con.
gress has passed and the whole
| problem has been left for the next
president of the United States, who
really wanted it HANDLED that way sc
he might have a powerful lever in
his first negotiations on a foreign
no1icv