Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-09
HOUSE RESOLUTION
ON DISARMAMENT
PLEASES HARDING
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Ueased Wire Service tc The Journal.)
Copyright, -921.)

BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Ueased Wire Service tc The Journal.)
Copyright, -921.)
WASHINGTON. Jun 3.-Presi.
dent Harding today told Represen
tative Mondell. Republican leader o:
the house, that he was well satisfied
with the resolution proposed by the
house concurring in the executive:
views on disarmament and the pros
pect now is that the senate, which
adopted the Borah amendment, viii
accept the house substitute.
What might have been a disagree
able situation as between the two
houses has been avoided by the tao
of the Republican leaders in the
house, who made the disarmament
resolution sufficiently broad as te
carry weight in international coun'
ellis. The president was told by Mr.
MondeIl that the house felt very
strongly that the money it had ap'
propriated for the navy was quite
sufficient and that members did not
look with friendly eyes on the in
The naval bill now is in con:
ference between the two houses anc
while it looks as if a compromise
will be worked out, Mr.. Harding may
be called upon to adjust the diner
ences as to naval appropriations. Ii
the confrees do not agree and Mr.
Harding is called upon to aid, an
embarrassing situation will arise for
the executive. 1t will be the first time
that the president will have before
him the concrete question OF reduc'
ton of armament Thus far he mas
expressed himself in general terms
and has not gone beyond the express
sion that America must not dlsarn
alone
Nevertheless there is a consider
able sentiment in congress to the
effect that America should make her
sermons on disarmament square
with her performances and that Inc Inc
time to give the world an example
is the present when all eyes are
turned on the American congress.
The question as to what the point
is to which armament may be re-
duced consistent with domestic safe
ty is entirely too broad and too con
troversal to expect agreement in
congress at this stage of the dis
armament discussion when other ma
lions have not given evidence Of the
lengths to which they are willing to
go IN reducing armament. Accord
ingly Mr.. Harding is anxious to
maintain Americas naval and mill
tary program for the present while
at the same time he believes he has
done his duty in approaching the
other powers to determine what may
be agreed upon with respect to a
suspension of naval building. The
whole thing is in a preliminary
status but the American view, has
been sent to Ambassador Harvey so
that it may be informally commune
Gated to the other governments 1T
the supreme councils next meeting.
Meanwhile, Senator Borah looks on
we'll pleased, that through his single
effort, the administration was COM
PEELED to tackle the disarmament
question sooner than it planned. Mr.
Borah cannot very well insist upon
his own amendment which provided
for a conference only between the
United States. Japan and Great Brit
ain because the new proposal would
include all powers and would apply
to military as well as naval forces
On the other hand, the administra-
tion takes the credit for a broad ex-
preston on the subject Of disarma.
house by Republican Leader Mon
dell with the full support of Presi.
dent Harding.
Both Sides Satisfied
So both sides are satisfied and gu
of it all there issues definite state
ment that America will disarm if tn
other powers will agree. On top O.
this comes a statement from Georg'
n. Barnes, conservative British labo
leader and spokesman of British sen
timent, that England is ready t
meet every proposal Of the Unitet
States, but that Japan is the diff
Guilty. The growth Of a liberal move
help the disarmament cause in tina
country, but it begins to look as 1
| the whole question Of reducing arma
ments will depend as it always ha
| dpon the sum total Of apprehension
| concerning a next war.
Just at present the Far East 4
| looked upon as source Of possibl
| friction, and it is a safe bet tina
until the relations between tn
| United States and Japan are amicabl.
| adjusted there will be little progress
made on the subject Of disarmament
The American fleets strongest yes
| sells are in the Pacific. There ar
rumors that Japan is losing littl
| time fortifying certain islands whic,
will be useful as submarine base
and altogether Japanese-Amer lie
| lations still are in that vague an
cloudy state which make it impos
sible to tell from what side the mex
move will come.
President Harding feels keenly tn
responsibility he has of redIcin
taxes. Most of the government
budget-indeed IS per cent-goe
directly or Indirectly to expenditure
growing out of war, such as pension
and claims, and about 20 per cen
to army and navy appropriations. A.
the talk Of economy in government
! bureaus and administrative efficienc
affects about II per cent of the. GOV
ernment's payroll and bills. So tn
necessity for a reduction Of the 2
per cent item is the big factor i
the case. But before there will b
| much done on disarmament, tn
! chances are that the Harding admin
istration will make a supreme effor
to clear up once and for all the rela
tions between the United Stated an
| Japan.
HOUSE SENDS NAVAL
BILL TO CONFERENCE
CTJTNCTON Tuna