The Washington times., 1921-06-26
LITTLE NAVY MEN
ARE SHORT SIGHTED,
DECLARES ABBOTT
Ignore Possibility of New War
in Their Efforts to Cut
Down Sea Forces.
ny WILLIS ,. ADBoTT.

| When the naval appropriation bill
was up for discussion in the Senate,
Mr.. Lenroot, with owl-like solemnity.
propounded TO that body these ques-
tions:
"SIr. President. the determining dues-
tion in deciding whether we shall
have a personnel of 1o0,00 or a per-
sonnel Of 10000 in the next fiscal
year seems TO me to be. what Will
there be for the navy to dor
SAYS WAR UNLIKELY.
Does any Senator upon this floor
believe for single moment that
there is any possibility whatever OF
our being engaged In any war in the
next year. or in the next two years,
or in the next Ave years, which will
require a personnel of more than
100 900 men7
II cannot believe that there is any
Senator who believes in that Then
what Is the reason for saddling this
extra expense upon the country at
this timer"
This 10 the substance OF the argu-
ment on which the Senate estimates
OF the proper expenditures upon the
navy were cut to pieces Whether
the section had to do with personnel,
new construction, submarine or air
craft development, the demand OF the
little navy men was always that n
prospect of immediate war should be
pointed out as justification for the
expenditures.
RECALLS DAYS OF 1914.
I recall very well in 1914 steaminE
ell day UP the English Channel
through what seemed to bt an un-
broken array of British war vessels.
Dreadnaughts were cruising IN
souadrons. Cruisers and lighter bat
tleships by dozens and scores made
the open sea look like crowded har-
Dor. At one point line OF destroy
ers was drawn across the channel
from shore to shore, facing the tide.
with just enough steam to hold them
stationary, their prows aligned as
though breasting a tape. 1t was weeks
before the declaration OF war, and
the ostensible purpose OF the display
was the celebration OF King Georges
birthday. No doubt In diplomatic cir
cles the imminence OF war was known
but a parliamentary inquiry as TO the
reason for that naval demonslration
would have been as hard to answer
as was Senator Lenroots inquiry.
Navies are maintained as much to
prevent war as TO wage II. And no
adequate navy can De maintained
without a trained personnel available
at all times Under the reduced es-
Inmates OF this naval bill. we are
going to turn back into civil life ter-
of thousands OF sailors trained at
heavy expense. We are dismantling
our training camps, and disbanding
our bluejaokets. II the war about
which Senator L>enroot inquired
should come 1t would take more than
a year to replace. in the face OF hos
tilities, the trained men whom we
are now about TO discard.
THE LOGIC OF PARALLEL.
The reduction of personnel is of
fered as the contribution TO the Gov
ernment of the business sense of the
conferees. But what would any of
them thought OF business man who.
being asked to insure his property,
responded by asking what assurance
could be given him that nre would
come that year or che next9
In the course of this debate Sem
etor PoIndexter pointed out that
japan Is making appropriations
which. when allowance Is made for
the lesser cost Of production and the
lower rate OF wages IN that country,
are quite equal to those OF this
nation for naval purposes. Japan
is not rich. She is not the creditor
of all the world. Her situation is
hot such as 10 invite asgression on