Evening star., 1921-10-19
Editorial Digest
Abandon the Battleship!

When out of a mass of theory and
generalization about reduction of
armaments q concrete proposal is
made by a man whom the Hart
ford Times (democratic) calls "the
father of modern battleship construc-
tion." the press Of the country agrees
that his suggestion is worthy of Sc
rious attention. Rear Admiral Bowles,
formerly chief constructor Of the
Navy. and now head Of one Of the
largest shipyards in the country. has
declared. in effect, that If the world
really wants disarmament the method
is easy" His idea is simply to
abandon the battleship," and he adds
that there Is no other complete solu-
ton" While editors agree that his
program is drastic" it at least has
the merit of being program. and as
such it furnishes a basis for discus
sion.
In all this discussion Of arms, the
Manchester Union independent re-
publican) remarks, comparatively
little has been said by the men who
Union finds Admiral Bowles' sug-
gestion distinctly refreshing" since
''it Is one of the very few practical
suggestions thus far made"
What that suggestion is is quoted
thus by the Providence Tribune lin
dependent republicam: Abandon the
battleships. Let it be agreed that all
battleships, all fighting ships Of any
type over $4,000 tons displacement.
all guns over siS-inch caliber and all
future forbidden" While these are
drastic proposals." the paper COM
ments that evidently Admiral Bowles
believes in doing the job WELL If it is
to be undertaken at ALL
While the first impression is that
such a scheme is radical in the ex-
treme,' the Hartford Times (der"-
cratic) holds that "it cannot be waved
aside as the uttsrance OF a pa.iusI.
since Admiral Bowles has probably
had more military training than
some of the loudest shouters for a
(which will make his suggestions
command international attention"
Where he differs from the militarists,
the paper continues. lis that he rec
ognizes oncoming disaster when he
sees 1t approaching, and is too pa
sue a course of self-destruction mere
ly to make business good for muni
tions makers and shipbuilders"
AS the Pittsburg Leader (pro-
gressive republican, interprets the
admirals idea. limitation of arma-
theory of reducing war equipment"
but a plain easy question which any
experienced naval officer or strategist
can answer offhand." Apparently the
answer is that 1.-The way to reduce
ornaments is to reduce" in q practi-
cal fashion. and effort along the line
that discussion will probably take.
Limitation of tonnage and replace
ments. will get us nowhere" be-
cause of the impossibility of enforce
ment.
We are heading rapidly toward a
billion-dollar annual naval appropri-
ation." says the Boston Herald dnde-
pendent republican,, which we would
have reached already "if we carried
out the ideas of the service" Ad
miral Bowles' prediction that "the
day is not far distant when the main
tenance of the Navy may easily dis
tance the total expenditure of the
whole federal government before the
war" appeals to the Rochester Times
Union independently as one that
Ought to make the average Ameri
can do some sound thinking" because
in the present state of our finances
reduction of armaments is no aca-
demic problem: rather 'it is ques-
ton of absolutely vital Importance"
Coming as it does from "a great naval
authority" the Times-Cnion believes
that the Bowles proposal should be
given very serious consideration"
since 1t rs at least serious effort
to deal with vitality serious prob
lem"
The Philadelphia Public Ledger tinde-
pendent) admits that the plan would
solve the problem in part-it would
end that part of the madness that
runs to bigger ships. bigger guns.
thicker armor plate and the hated.
dreaded C-boat." But that it would
lessen expenditures. the Ledger is not
convinced.
The Louisville Courier Journal
(democratic) advances the objection
that while the plan would reduce the
cost of war" it would not remove
the probability of war 1t is not
"a measure of war prevention, but
merely a measure of retrenchment."
If adopted, the Mobile Register
(democratic) thinks. the proposal
would rest for its success upon the
good faith of the nations subscrib-
ing to it
In any event. Rear Admiral Bowles
offers definite program for that
conference to tackle says the Nash
willie Tennessean independent demo-
cratic). and while he will be called
upon to defend it" against attacks
by men as expert as himself" vet,
when all is said and done, the best
the experts can get is draw and
public opinion is on the side of the
former Navy officer"