The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-24
AN EVIDENCE OF coon FAITH.

AN EVIDENCE OF GOOD FAITH.
The old adage that it's an i'll wind
that blows nobody good is illustrated
in the case OF the discharged navy
yard workers While they have lost
their jobs. henceforth the taxpayers
will be relieved of the burden of pay
ing wages to men engaged in an in
dustry that adds nothing to human
happiness.
The ornaments treaties which
President Harding and Secretary
Hughes and others have been able to
negotiate with the other leading ma
tions should assure us international
peace and safety without continued
building of battleships and making of
guns of long range. Under conditions
which render armament unnecessary,
continued use of}labor for armaments
would be wasted. 1t is hoped that
the navy yard can be used for some
productive purpose or peace-time
nature. 1t is doubtful. however,
whether it will be profitable for the
government to undertake to operate
any peace-time industry. for govern
ment operation is VIGOROUSLY expen-
I sive.
There was no delay in putting into
effect the disarmament policy made
possible by the five-power naval lirni-
tation treaty. Even before the treaties
were. delivered to the United States
senate and before some of the foreign
delegations had left Washington
President Harding ordered all work
suspended upon construction Of all
war vessels. which, under the provi-
sioHs of-the treaty would be scrapped.
This included eight first-class battle
ships and six battle cruisers now I'M
der construction in government and
private shipbuilding yards at various
points in the United States.
Work on some of these battleships
was 70 per cent complete while on
others it had hardly commenced. The
naval construction thus halted by or
! costing the government 100000
month. OF course, in event some ma
ton refuses to ratify the naval treaty,
and it thereby fails to go into effect,
work upon these vessels might be re-
sumed. In event the treaty does be-
| come effective, however, the work thus
suspended will be wholly abandoned
and what has been done upon the yes
sells will be later destroyed according
to the terms of the treaty.
In addition to ordering all naval
construction work upon these vessels
suspended pending the consideration
Of the naval treaty by the respective
powers, President Harding ordered all
work upon the various Qualifications
| and naval bases in the Pacific ocean
stopped in accordance with the naval
treaty, which provides that, except the
j Hawaiian Islands, the Alaskan coast,
! the coast and the. mainland of the
United States and the Panama Canal
Zone, all Notifications and naval bases
| in insular possessions of the United
States in the Pacific ocean must not
be strengthened and no new fortifica-
lions or bases may be established
This includes the island of Guam, all
Of the Philippine group and other in
sular possessions of the United States
in the Pacific.
So promptly did President Harding
act that twelve large naval guns en-
route to the Notifications of Corregf-
dor Island, in the Philippines, were
stopped by wireless and ordered I'M
loaded at Honolulu.
The stoppage of all of this naval
construction work and the stoppage
of any strengthening of our insularI
Notifications end naval bases not
only means a tremendous reduction
in cost of construction and material,
| but it means a radical reduction in
personnel. Congress and the navy
department are both at work upon a
plan for reducing the personnel of the
havy. consistent with the reduction of
naval armament.