Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-06-12
bUGABOO TAKES
!: POSSESSION Of
j H|CH OFFICIALS
Magnificent Floating
Fortresses Sent to
Pacific in Preparation.
Subtle Propaganda En-
anating From Nippon
Stirs Secretary Weeks.
BY ROBERT SMALL,
Special Correspondent Of The Tribune.

~ COpyFlSuL, loAl, ny IHe AIiOuhe'
WASHINGTON. June lit is useless
TO deny that back of the resistance to
the reduction Of the army and navy
this week; back of the resistance to a
direction to President Harding to sum
mon Immediately a disarmament con-
ference has lowered the bugaboo Of q
possible war with Japan.
This bugaboo has taken possession
of the navy and the army and it will
take heroic measures to eradicate it.
During the week a number Of dis
tinguished officers of the military SER
vice have made addresses in which they
have declared they could see war in
the offing." No less parsonage than
the distinguished Secretary of War
Weeks, has declared that he was con-
ecious Of feverish war preparations in
certain directions"
Added to all of this is the fact that
orders quietly have gone forward for
concentration of the great naval
strength Of the United States in the
Pacific ocean. No longer will the At
lantic be the base of the battleship
fleets. The newest Of the navy's SUI
perdreadnaughts magnificent steel fort
resses with sixteen inch guns bristling
from their protected decks the great
est guns ever foated in sea have been
ordered to the Pacific as rapidly as
completed and put in commission.
It is the fixed judgment Of the ad-
ministration that the pacific and not
the Atlantic is to solve the question
of war or peace in the next generation.
There has been no official announce
ment to that effect, but the trend to-
ward augmentation of the Pacific fleet
oEk L. = eL1
BY changes in process or directed.
The new batt1eship Tennessee al:
ready is enroute to the Pacific. The
California, which will be placed in COM
mission at Mare Island, Calf. will
be placed in the pacific. The Mary
land. nearing completion at Newport
News will be hurried to the Pacific as
soon as commissioned. The Maryland
will be the first modern vessel carry
ing 16 inch guns to be commissioned in
the United States navy. Orders con-
stantly are going forward for the aug
mentation of the Pacific forces. but
there are no orders for withdrawing
from that already prepondcrant f, 1T.
When the Atlantic fleet under Ad-
mlral Wilson came to northern waters
a short time ago from it's spring maneu-
vers, it was quickly determined that
LIE peFSUuuci WAS saturated WITH the
idea that the majority of the fleet
should be turned to the Pacific. This
idea apparently has taken hold in
Washington. 1t has run through the
departments of navy and the army.
1t has reached out to the capital hill
and possessed the military and naval
committees Of house and senate
President Harding has not been un-
conscious of this trend of thought.
He felt the significance Of it long be-
fore he came to Washington last March
to take the oath of office. When he
was in Florida last winter he reccg-
nized the delicacy of the situation ae-
tween the United States and Japan
and hoped to be able soon to relieve
it. He felt that, first of all. he must
find diplomat of long experience.
Of cool head and unquestioned good
Judgment, as his ambassador to the
Japanese court. Thus far he has been
unable to fill the position to his salts
faction. The president has felt that in
the Far East must lie some Of the
most intricate problems he would have
to solve and it has been his purpose
to place in the embassy at Toxic. in
the legation at Picking and in the CUB
ernatorial chair at Manila three ad-
mirable men, who must easily hold the