The New York herald., 1922-05-07
SENATE TO STAND
FORNAWOF96,OOO
Believed Certain Upper
Chamber Will Send New
Bill to House.
PREPARING FOR FIGHT
Present Strength of Person
mel Said to Have Har-
ding's Favor.
24,O0O BELOW TREATY
Reduction Held by Naval Af-
fairs Expert to Be Sufficient
Example to World.
$4,000 BELOW TREATY
BY eraser sCHoRNsTHEIMER.
Special Dispatch to THE NEW York HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
WashingtOn. ID. c.. Nav 6.

I o
Reports that tie opinions of higher
naval officers are at variance with
those of President Harding and his
Cabinet are branded as entirely false
by these officers. They point out that
with the naval treaty in effect there
is only one course open to the United
States and that is TO express it's terms
in actual power.
Exactly low this is to be done must
be left to the Navy Department, but
the Department must be supplied with
the facilities by Congress. This is the
navy's translation of the messages of
the President and Secretary Hughes
to various members of the House of
Representatives.
1t is also pointed out that the United
States can take the lead in setting an
example in even further arms ,reduc-
tions to other nations by reducing the
actual power of her fleet by a small
margin below its treaty strength.
This is to be done by reducing the
needed man power of the service to
$4,000 men. The general board of TIE
navy has rendered the opinion tha.
10000 men are necessary to make our
treaty strength apparent-to man
fully the necessary ships which we
are retaining under the naval treaty.
Setting Further Example.
nf ha
| for the forthcoming year calling for
$1,000 men show that IL the navy's plan.
which. considering the reduction be-
low necessary strength. is interpreted
as the Presidents plan. is accepted by
Congress, America will be setting a
further example to the world in naval
disarmament to the tune OF $4,000 men.
| 1t would seem that this is big enough
example for a start. We may hope
| that other nations may follow our ex-
ample. but we have before us their
utter disregard for our splendid sacri-
flee in reducing our army
/ Regarding the total indifference of
the world to our military reductions. a
high officer of our army would have
! us increase our military force to at
least the size of that maintained by
Belgium, Czecho-S -Slovakia or Rumania.
though this conservative gentleman
does not recommend increasing the SER
vice TO the strength OF England, Japan.
France or Italy. at present because of
our economic condition. Does Ii not
seem that his criticism is a Just one?
Another amplification of the state
ment that the President and the navy
are in accord on the personnel situal
ton comes from the announcement
that he will veto any further reductions
IN our service. holding that the navy
has been properly limited by the arma-
ment conference. AS we have about
5000 men in the service at present.
may we not expect the Presidential
veto TO the present House bill reduc-
ing the navy to $1,000 men?
| This stand is understood to have been
| communicated to several Republican
| Senators who were said to be opposed
to raising the House bill figures. While
opinions as to the general attitude OF
| the Senate toward increasing the naval
establishment vary from day to day.
1t Is almost certain that a new bill will
be returned to the House and that this
bill will carry an increase i'm personnel
MarshaIIing of Forces.
| In expectation of it's return TO the
House. the opposing sides are again
marshallng their forces. Representa- :
| tive j. j. Rodgers of Massachusetts $
leading the Republican, wing and Rep
resentative Paget leading the Demo-
cratic wing against Madden and Kelley.
both Republicans. While Madden and
Kelley are supposed to have lost power
through their attempts to misrepresent
the naval situation TO the House 1t is
| entirely possible that i'm the face of an
increase on the 5000 men passed by
the House. they will gain few sup
| porters.
Among them there Is understood to
be certain Representative from Penn
sylvania who recently, II is reported.
announced that he was the official
4 had finished there would be blood on
his apron. A pleasant thought, indeed,
for one so pacificl
Just how the Senate and the House
will react toward proposals to effect
economy I'm the future by utilizing hulls
now under construction is a matter OF
| doubt. In the case of the conversion
of the two battle cruisers to aircraft
carriers a saving of So. 1000. 900 is to be
| realized. However. Kelley and his
committee were even opposed TO this
| economy because IL called for an ap-
preparation to complete the ships as
aircraft carriers.
Whether or not President Harding
has any policy toward the material
needs of the navy Is not known. How
ever, several Senator'S close to the
President were very pleasantly in favor
of the conversion proposal as voiced by
Assistant Secretary OF the Navy Roose-
welt.
Academic Question Involved.
The real question involved is entirely
an academic one. II Is: Does a reduc-
ton in ornaments tend to lessen the
chances Of war. and II so. would general
disarmament abolish all war?
The general philosophy OF war as
understood by all who have made a
study of the subject brings TO light
many little known facts. Armaments
do not make wars. men do Armaments
do not fight wars, men do IL Is trans
lation of Lord Fishers Men fight. not
ships" Our army and navy never de-