The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-01

short time ago the house voted, IL
ayes to $50 noes, to increase thu
personnel of the navy from $1,000
recommended by the appropria
tons committee in the interests O.
economy, to sss 900, urged strongl,
by President Harding in persona
! message to the house.
Behind his message to congress
which is credited with the overture
Of the committees recommends
lions and the overruling of Repub-
lican leadership of the house il
this matter, was pressure which
was brought to bear on the presi-
dent by members of the senate.
The action taken by the house was
and still is viewed from many
angles. By some it is called Sc
we're and unwarranted further at
tack on the packetbook of the Amer
lean taxpayer. 1t has been called
victory for militarism By 9TH
ers it is said that even $4,000 men
is not the full number needed to
man the ships properly of the re-
States under the treaty agreed
the limitation of ornaments.
The members of the house all
have to go before their constitu-
ents this fall for reelection 1t was
generally felt that the country at
large wants government OUTLAWS of
cut to the very bone. Any
war of the future is felt to be many
years away, if not entirely improb-
able, even impossible The coun-
tries of the world, carrying enor-
heavy war debts and con-
sequent large loads of taxes. are
not, as a matter Of fact, eager to
resume fighting with each other
On any considerable scale.
But while the treaty to limit the
naval ornaments of the great pow
srs was still before the senate for
President Harding was
old in no uncertain terms by GER
ain western senators that unless
he larger personnel for the navy |
vas strongly recommended by him |
o the house, the prospects for rati-
ication of the naval treaty would |
,e slim indeed.
In the midst of all of the row
bout the personnel of the navy,
With most members Of the house
acing an Immediate accountability
o their constituents for voting 49,
90 additional men, strong group
f senators took the stand that it
Tould be ridiculous thing to have
certain number of fighting ships |.
lIowed in the American navy, if
ONE Of them were going to be
D stripped Of crew that they would
ave to lie idle at their mornings,
18th only sufficient force aboard
, keep the vessels from being ut
,rly ruined by rust and neglect.
The navy department repeatedly d,
ointed out to congress and the |
eople that only a portion of the '
apital ships allowed the United
tates could be kept in commits
on, with trained men to operate S
lem. if the cut to $1,000 men was i
ade in the personnel of the navy. S
/ spite of this, the leaders of the t
ajority in the lower branch of 7
,ngress, in the interests Of econ L
ny and in response to the public b
amor against continuing heavy T
xes if they can in any way be a
duced, were bent on putting S
the smaller naval quota.
President Harding did not want C
embarrass any members of the F
use, particularly the leadership O
that body, by using his influence t
the fight. He having been a L
ember of congress. he knew the b
act situation in which many of D
present members, with an cleo S
IN on their hands, found them il
Ives. However, he was moved to s
ge the larger personnel because b
the fact that otherwise ratifica- Il
N of the naval treaty in the SEN b
: would have been the subject of CT
real fight, with strong possibili- n
S of defeat. il
It can be stated on the best au-
ority that one of the western il
1ators, and one who has long et
en- associated with naval legis- V,
ion. told the president fatty OF
It he and several of his col b,
CUES would have to fight the OF
Fal treaty to the last ditch unless it