New-York tribune., 1922-04-15
Harding Calls
On House for
10000 Navy
Continued from page onrl

IN the measure now pending jll tho
House.
81 do not doubt tho good faith
OF the committee majority in btsiev-
ing a suitable navy can be ma ainta Fed
under the limitations fixed in the pc,n4-
ing bill, and / am heartily in acc ORD
with every consistent effort to dee, ser
the cut in governmental expenditures
At the same time | must believe in tn.
good faith Of the Navy Department and
our naval advisers who say very en-
phatically that it is impossible to main
tain within the proposed appropria-
tlons the standard set for our
navy, which was made the base of the
intcrnational conference and which
standard we have proclaimed TO the
world
"Of course. the decision must lie with
the Congress, but should not be
frank in replying to your inquiry #
did not say that shall be greatly dis
appointed, and ! believe the country
Will be greatly disappointed, if the ap-
preparation, TO which the navy must
and viii adhere, is reduced to the point
where the limitation of enlisted mer
and apprentices is below $4,000 No
presentation Of the situation which
has come to my notice has served to
alter that opinion.
ultimately, perhaps. the lower fig
ures proposed may be reached, and
hope it will be possible through later
international concert, but the trend
toward peace and security ought to be
moro firmly established before going
beyond the limitation to which we
were gladly committed at the inter
national conference"
AS Representative Longworth moved
TO his seat, Minority Leader Garrett
remarked:
When great naval experts like the
President of the United States and the
gentleman from Wyoming, Mr.. Mondeif.
dlsagree, what are we poor laynen to
FACTIONS Dispute Over aiinimy-s
Debate in the House on the navy
measure was marked by sharp verbal
clashes between the two factions into
Wnlch the House has divided itself on
the question. Members speaking for
both sides held consistently to the ker-
mel of the issue-that is. lust what
strength Of enlisted personnel strikes
the POINT OF greatest economy without
lmTalrlng in the slightest the fighting
strength permitted under the treaty
ration
The big navy men, so called. were
stll the aggressors. Their repeated
onslaughts against the measure kent
CHAIRMAN Patrick Kelley of the navy
suo-commlttee, who has charge of it on
the tioor, entirely on the defensive,
Wardlng off the thrusts of it's oonol
menus ana relterating his proofs that
the blll does not go too far in its cut.
Mr.. Kelley was relieved of his task
several times during the day bv Mr.
Nondeil, the Republican floor leader.
VINO mas become bitter in his counter
'1tacks. In a short speech Mondeli
challenged the testimony of naval ey-
perts and called attention to statements
oy them which he declared were "in-
tended to be misleading" He cited an
incident before d House committee
at Whlcn he said they were led bv
naval officials to believe that petty Of
noels were leaving the service in large
1rbn'"erA Th because of insufficient paw.
me facts disclosed. he averred - At
the condition was not as pictnred
Secretary DENLY was s1Ibsanna,.,,.
charged by Mr.. Mondell with incon.
His'ency IN writing President Hardinr
at one time that 10000 men would he
ii.eceSsary under the navy as provided
ny the treaty. and later savine 49,
'o,ooo would be sufficient.
nen are we to believe these az
perts?" he asked ca
virgin Island Item Increased
VI two attempts made to-da,, -
amend the bill, one was successf1I rbo
appropriation under the headline nf 90,
Penses incident to the occupation of ~
Virgin Islands, was Increased fr we
szoo,ooo to S343, ,440 under an amand' |
ment offered by Representative Hornoa
owner Republican, of Iowa. and
accepted without a division vote,
~ me other amendment. submitted hv /;
heIp,r.esentative Carl R. Chindblom. Re-
puoiltah' OF llllnolss sought to increase
Naval Training station from S,so noo
10 s2oo,00o. The Illinois member
pointed out that the amount provided F.,
dor the Hampton Roads station - |
%ooo'ooo' and contended that the sta
tons should be on parity. His Of.
tort was defeated, Sc to 80
MISS Alice Robertson, the women
member from Oklahoma, came ont as .
pig navy champion. She brought cheers
: :, rom 'haV element when she declared |
during short speech:
we could have had first n}ace :, th
world If we had demanded II bnt sro
were willing to stop on an EQUALITY I
am one woman who is never willing to
see US yield our equality to anv one !, !
She scored the women's organizations
that have petitioned members. demanSe /
ing support OF the committee, and do /
clared that although there are no shin t
yards IN Oklahoma she was compelled
10 Joln the big navy men on grounds Of |
VI
Minority Floor Leader Garrett again
came to the support of the Appronr;a.
tlons Committee with q denial thai the
plan embodied in the bill will cut tbe
american navy below the ratio with |
Great Britain and Japan, He declared
also that Congress was not bound to
provide for the maximum number Of |
men possible under the ratio agree
George Y Wedding Witness