Arizona republican., 1922-02-26
SEEKS
COMPROM ISE ON
NAVY PERSONNEL
IRepubIican A. P. Leased WlreI

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25. - Presi-
dent Harding inauguFated an effort
today to reconcile wide differences
Of opinion between the navy depart
ment and congress as to the size
and cost of the navy for the next
fiscal year.
At q White House conference with
Republican members of the house
naval committee and Representative
Mondell, of Wyoming, the Republican
leader, the President, seeking to COM
promise what some members have
described as the extreme views" is
said. to have declared that with the
size Of the navy fixed by the arms
conference the total enlisted person
mel ought not be less than $4,000.
SECRETARY DENLY, in outlining de-
partment needs to the committee has
insisted on an enlisted strength Of
10000 and the present officer per-
sonnel. including $40 members of the
first class at Annapolis to be gradu
ated in June. Chairman Butler and
other members OF the committee
have insisted, however, that Secre-
tary Denbys figures for an appropri-
alton bin carrying a total of 1850,
900, 900 were too high and reports
have reached the President that a
considerable number of house mem
bers were demanding a cut so sweep
ing that there might be funds enough
in the new navy bill for only 10000
men.
In the face OF determined opposi-
tion to his estimate, Mr.. DENLY and
Admiral Coontz, chief of naval oper-
ations. announced that they stood pat
on the figures. 1t was because of this
situation that the President called in
the Republican committeeman with
whom he conferred for an hour and
half in a general exchange Of
views.
The feeling prevailed in some
quarters tonight that the President
had hit upon an easy basis of COM
promise and had let it be known he
would not approve a bill that might
effectually scrap the navy below
the arms conference point through
failure to provide sufficient men to
man the is battleships and Other
craft allotted the United States by IN
ternational agreement.
AS the real fight over the size and
cost of the navy will be before the
subcommittee on appropriations oi
which Representative Kelly, Republi
can. Michigan is chairman. there was
a suggestion that Mr.. Kelly's and Mr.
Buffers committees. or rather the
Republican members of each, get to-
gether.
The naval committee was said tc
be in accord with the Presidents sug-
gestion that congress expedite legis
lation for conversion of two battle
cruisers now building into airplane
carriers The sum OF Si0,000,00O each
has been expended on the cruisers
and Admiral Coontz estimated that
the two could be converted for Sl3,-
600. 900 each. which would be SIS
600 900 cheaper, he said. than build
ing anew. Vessels which may be
selected for such conversion are
building at Fore River, Mass, New
port News and Philadelphia, and il
was pointed out that an early start
would provide employment for 8
number of men.
The status of the first class al
Annapolis was not touched on in de-
tail at today's conference, although
il was said the president advocated
a sharp cut in the number of men tc
be admitted each year during the
naval holiday. Chairman Kelly
committee has in consideration plar
by which 1875 of the $40 members OF
the first class will be commissioned
the others being turned back to civil
life.
Not much was forthcoming as to
the presidents ideas concerning pos
sible reductions in the officer per-
sonnel. but reports at the capitol In
dicated that members had been inn
pressed with the navy argument that
to keep the navy on its toes a full
commitment would he rauuired for
each ship. 1t is known, however, that
the appropriations committee plans TO
retire about 400 retired officers Of