The Washington herald., 1921-01-22
Both House and Senate
Hear Concrete Sugges-
tions for Reduction.
WHITE EXPLAINS
FEELING ABROAD
Senator France Presents
Substitute for Borah
Resolution.

Concrete suggestions in favor of
some sort of naval disarmament
were advanced in both the House
and Senate yesterday. The senti-
ment which is being registered bids
fair to make the issue one which
must be faced at the special session
under the Harding administration.
and also to have powerful infu-
ence upon the sentiment of Senate
leaders who on Thursday took &c
tion tending to sidetrack the pro-
posed naval holiday"
Henry White, Republican member
of the American Peace Commission.
appearing before the House Naval
Committee, told ii that sentiment
throughout the world was ripe for
a reduction in the burden Of war
and that the United States should
take the initiative in such action.
Offers Substitute.
Senator Joseph !. France, OF
Maryland, introduced a substitute
for the Borah resolution in the Sen
ate which provides for specific re-
ductions between now and 1885 by
agreement between the United
States, Great Britain and Japan so
that in the latter year the strength
Of the three navies would be only IS
per cent of that Of the greatest navy
on July l next.
A surface Indication of what may
be on President-elect Harding's
mind in regard to the subject was
given yesterday before the House
committee when White said that the
difficulty he had in testifying was
that immediate action was desired.
What we want to do. and are
aiming to do. is 10 keep the sub
sect before the people" Representa-
tive Thomas S. Butler. Of Pennsyl-
vania, replied after a pause. This
expression of Buffers was inter
preted as meaning that some such
course of-aetisn had been outlined
at the conference which the Penn
sylvanian had with Harding at
Marion.
Says World Ready.
The whole world is crying out
for reduction of their taxation,
which can be brought about largely
by disarmament" White told the
committee. Il imagine the nations
are looking to us to take the lead.
While 1 am in favor of disarma-
ment, / am not for our nation to
be the only one to do this"
The inclusion of France and Italy
was suggested by White.
my impression is that the peo-
pie would compel them to disarm"
ne continued. They are all suffer
ing from taxation. Public opinion
would bring the governments to the
point OF increasing disarmament"
The question of naval disarma-
ment should be considered by the
three great powers, White said. as
''it would bring about general chaos
to invite the whole world" but he
said that he did not think that any
thing could be accomplished by a
call sent out by President Wilson
on the eve of the inauguration Of
Harding.
Feeling Overseas.
I'VE are feeling the pressure for
disarmament here in America" said
Butler. DO you think the same
condition exists abroad"
Certainly" said White. He told
the committee that he thought the
United States should take the ini-
tiative and that a meeting should
be held here so that foreign nations
might be able more accurately to
ascertain the sentiment of the peo-
pie in the United States.
The present is the psychological
moment for the move" he said.
There seems to be a disposition
abroad to charge the United States
with hninD rnEnn-Efh1n ha
petition in big navies," said Butler,
but Japan has large ships now
building. Eight battleships and
eight battle cruisers are now being
built in England, and no one knows
who they are for. l learn on good
authority that many of the Japan
ese people do not know their ships
are being built. and l think we and
they and the world should know
who these ships in England are
being built for"
Asks TabuIation.
The resolution introduced by SEN
ator France is far more specific
than any that has yet been offered
for consideration. 1t provides for
the immediate creation Of a COM
mission composed of three naval
lowing countries: the United States,
Great Britain, and Japan, to de
termine and tabulate the strength
and tonnage of the navies of each
of the said powers as OF July l,
1921"
The limitations then to be impos-
ed are that in 1923 no nation shall
have a greater strength of tonnage
than the commission found to be
the case of the greatest navy in
1921. In 1925 the strength of the
navies of the three powers shall
have been cut to IS per cent Of the
greatest strength in 1921. in 1880
to so per cent, and in 1895, to 25
per cent, and that future armament
shall remain at that point.
f. Smaller Nations
The smaller nsvies shall have the
right under the French resolution to
increase their strength up. TO the
point allowed for the three powers,
but not beyond.
Action by the Senate upon the
resolution will depend of course
upon the fate Of the Borah resolu-
ton, as II will have to be considered
in connection with IT on the floor.
Senator William E. Borah, Of Idaho,
expressed the opinion yesterday
that there might be a vote on his
resolution before March 4, although
tlfe senate generally seems to be
aRairNt the tpjectiou of the ouex.