New-York tribune., 1921-02-12
BoraIl Predicts
w ar IL Naval
Race Continues
Renewing Attack Against
Capital Ship, Senator
Declares Competition
Is a Breeder of Strife
Demands Investigation
Says Public Is Entitled
to- Know Whether Brit.
ain Backs Propaganda


WASHINGTON, Feb. IL. Senator
Borah. of Idaho, in she Senate this
afternoon renewed his attack on the
capital ship and the 1915 naval build
Ing program. IN lergthy speech, he
again urged on the Senate the wisdom
of suspending naval construction for
SIX months or year, until it can be
ascrtained by thorough investigation
what modern fighting navy should be.
Senator Poindexter. of the Naval At
fairs Committee, upheld the Naval Gen
eral Board program and the Naval Com
raittee's view Protracted and general
debate resulted.
Declaring he did not advocate dis
armament or reduction of armaments
unless by agreement with other powers,
Senator Borah took :he position that
II the United States mast enter into
naval building competition, it is of the
highest Importance to know that the
navy it builds is Efficient He held
this was all the more vital because, in
his opinion, unless there is an agree
ment by which naval competition be
ended war will result He said he de-
sired to do all possible to end this
naval building competition. and if this
were found impossible, then he wanted
the nost effective navy that can be
built"
Says Public DeTlands Facts
Repeatedly emphasizing that he did
not want to scrap the capital ship OF
permanently stop construction. Senator
8orah said the public YVES entitled to
thorough information on the subject of
WHAT Sort Of navy was uost efficient.
What | complain Of is that there
has never been from the close of the
4r to this nour any real investigation
n,o this subject at all, said the Sena-
ter.
IS in his earlier speech advocating
the esoiution for Suspension of naval
oullolng pending Investigation, Sena-
tor Borah cited British and American
naval authorities against the capital
snip and in favor Of the sli bmarine and
The airship. He brought UP the report
"hich are going the rounds that the
7tatements of British naval authorities
cainst the capital ship arc propaganda
= ut out by the British government, with
he backing of Admiralty, press ana
PEOPLE, to try to interfere with the
'i1val building program of the United
5tates.
After reading from a Washington
ragspaper making the statement thar
the Navy Department was in posses
on of Information that the British
Admiralty was putting out propaganda
Fanator Borah said: "If that's true,
hats one of the grounds for which we
"ent to war with Germany, and it's a
cry serious matter. If such nforma-
lon is in the hands of the Navy De-
artment The Congress OF the United
,.ates and the people are entitled to
i'ave it,"
Discredits Propaganda Reports
"We're nfc-med that the British
ambassador is coming here on mi
sion of disarmament and at the same
Tine informed that the British Ad-
lniralty is trying TO prevent the COM
pietion of the American naval pro-
cram"
He inquired of Senator Poindexter
who made the recent report from the
Naval Affairs Comm ttee against the
Dorait resolution, if the Naval Commit
ice went into this matter
Senator Poindexter said there was
some testimony before the committee
90 rne rntnt hut the committee had
not seen tit to take it publ C. He added
the Senator could examine it.
"If | get it, it'll go to the public"
said Mr.. Borah.
Senator Poindexter demurred to the
idea that Information of this nature