The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-02-12
CAPITAL ships OBSOLETE
OPINION OF NAVAL EXPERTS
Surface Navy Can Go Nowhere
But to the Bottom, is
Statement Made.
BoRAH WANTS TO KNOW
Whether Great Britain is tECir-
culating Propaganda" in
This Country.
(sy Associated Press)


WASHINGTON, Feb. IL. The
statement that he had received sug-
gestions that Great Britain was cir>cu-
iating propaganda" in this country TO
deter American naval building was
made in the senate today by Senator
Borah, republican. Idaho, during
general debate OH disarmament He
understood, he said, that the facts
were in possession of the navy de-
partment.
Senator Poindexter. republican.
Washington, author of the senate
naval committees recent adverse re-
port on Senator Borah's suggestion
for six months naval holiday, In
answer to a question whether the
committees investigation had dis
closed any such situation, replied that
there had been some testimony" on
the subject but the committee did not
believe 1t should be made public.
If this information is in the hands
of the navy department" Senator
Borah said, ''the congress should have
it. We are informed that in the ar
chives of the navy department there
is proof of the propaganda conducted
we are told that the British ambas-
sador is on his way here to suggest
disarmament conference"
Senator Borah again urged that an
agreement be reached between the
naval powers for reduction of build
ing programs and also advocated a
careful investigation to determine
whether capital ships are tacticaIly
obsolete.
Unless there is an agreement
reached between the United States
and the powers competing in naval
building" he said, 1T will lead to war
Inevitably"
Opinions of American, British, Ger
man and other naval experts that
capital ships have become obsolete
We're presented by Senator Borah. He
read from letter by an American
rear admiral, retired who said:
i would stake my life that in a
few years a surface navy alone can
go nowhere but to the bottom"
The name OF the officer who wrote
the letter, Senator Borah said, would
be given TO the naval committee if 1t
desired This officer, he added, also.
wrote that the United States could
never be attacked successfully by a
power or combination of powers from
overseas.
Senator Poindexter, in defending
the naval committees report support
ing the capital ship building program
declared that if the United States
accepted the building postponernent
plan it would become at once a de-
feated nation, would lose its insular
possessions" and its citizens would ba
able to travel the seas only upon
terms laid down by rival nations.
Before sitting down with those
nations at the conference table" he
said, the committee feels we should
take precautions not to sit down dis
armed. IL the six months suspension
were adopted we would lose in addf-
tion, between $4,000, 900 and s25. .0o0.-
000"
The senator said he would like to
know whether Great Britain would
reduce its fleet to the present strength
of the American navy and If Japan
would actually stop naval construc-
tion. He asserted that the British
main fleet was twice as strong as the
American and that Japan would equal
the American strength within the
next three or four years.
Senator Smith, democrat, Georgia,
suggested that Great Britain give the
United States in payment for it's war
debt half of its naval forces so that
the two powers would be equal In
strength.