New-York tribune., 1921-02-15
House W ont Tie
Naval Bud get
To Disarrnlirl.g!,s
Effort TO Hold Up Appropri-
alton for 1916 Building
Program Pending Confer
ence Defeated, l24 to so
Pass $3o5,OOO, 900 Bill
Leaders Contend President
Already Has Full Power
TO Deal With Question
Erop, The Trtouae's Washington Burcau

Fron The Tribume's Wdshington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Feb. IA. - A strong
effort was made to-day just before
passage of the navy appropriation bill,
carrying s395,o0o,0o0, to have included
in the measure a provision that the
S90,000,000 item for continuance of the
1916 building program would not be-
come available until after an interna-
tional conference on disarmament, to
be called by the President, should have
failed to reach an agreement The
amendment was offered by Representa-
tive Edwin 3. Brooks, of Illinois. 1t
was lost by vote of 124 to 80, after a
fight lasting all afternoon.
The defeat of the Brooks amendment
was the direct result of the stand
taken by Floor Leader Mondell and
other majority leaders, who declared
that authority to call such n confer
ence already had been given the Presi-
dent and that temporary postponement
of construction would be almost as
costly as completion of ships now on
the ways. They also said they did not
believe it good policy to establish a
precedent of "string-tying" to appro~
priations. The navy appropriations
measure was passed by viva voce vote
for future building after motion to
recommit the bill, made by Representa-
tive Thomas L. Blanton, Of Texas, was
lost by vote of 282 to 8.
Held to Prove Sincerity
Supporters of the Brooks amendment
contended it would be the best argu-
ment this country could offer to prove
it's sincerity in desiring disarmament.
They also declared that the fact that
the large appropriation would be i'm
mediately available should the cohfer-
ence fail would work as a sort of "big
stick" and give the meeting of nations
strength.
I'VE will by this action" said Rep
resentative Tom Connally, of Texas,
one of its most ardent advocates, SAY
to them that we are willing to disarm
if you are. And if you are not willing
to disarm, then we shall continue on
our building program of 1916, and if
you enter into competition with US in
the building of navy we will pledge
our resources to build one that will
excel that of any nation in the world.
But if you are willing to disarm, if you
mean what you say, we will meet you
half way"
Mr.. Connally was interrupted by
Representative Simeon D. Fess, of
Ohio, who asked the former if he be-
lieved this country would be in better
stragetic position to secure dlsarrna-
ment by taking such action now, rather
than go ahead with the program and
let the conference be called afterward.
"He will be able to call il in twenty
minutes after he makes up his mind"
replied Mr.. Connally.
Question of Strategy Raised
'I have great sympathy with what
the gentleman has been saying" Mr..
Fess continued. 81 want him to under
stand that, but the question with me is
whether if our navy is disarmed we
aro " better position to reach it by
taking this step now than to go on"
me gentleman misses my point
replied Mr.. Connally. my point is
that we shall let the President issue
his proclamation, and after he has is
sued it this money tnen becomes avail
able, but let the navy yards and
agencies of the Navy Department go
right on with its building program,
and by that action itself say to the ma
tions of the world that we are not 60
ing to stop building battleships until
you do. That would be more persua-
sive than all these pourparleurs and
exchanges of courtesies. | believe in
making that known not only by words
but by deeds, that we accept the gage
of battle and we will proceed to build
the greatest navy the world has ever
seen"
MIR. Connally was again interrupted
by Representative Edward E. Denison,
of Illinois, who said: IL can conceive
that some time after the 4th OF
March the worlds condition might sud-
denly change so that war might be
Il. A. ~ tpk CT en-
att II might suddenly change so that
it might be unwise for the President
to issue the proclamation, and if that
condition should unfortunately arise
then this money could not be made
available to go ahead with the work"
Connally Defends Plan
81 will say that when the nations Of
the earth are about to engage in war
it would be the best possible time, it
seems to me, to ask them to disarm,
replied Representative Connally.
at seems to me that when we in
vite these nations to this conference
we should let them know that we are
inviting them to something more than
a pink tea, more than q mere philoso-
phical discussion of the beauties of
peace. We should let them know when
we invite them that while we want
peace and desire peace and desire dis
armament, unless they are willing to
Join US in disarmament we are going
on to build a great navy, ready TO pro-
Ssct our interests. And that is the
only kind of an argument that is going
to appeal to some of the nations Of
this world"
Following the defeat of his amend
ment, Representative Brooks offered @
substitute, which did not restrict the
spending of the appropriation for con-
struction, but merely authorized the
President to call disarmament con-
ference. This was eliminated on q
point of order by Representative Mar
tin Madden, of Illinois, who said the
substitute was not germane to the bill.