Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1922-04-27
CoNGRESSMEN SEEM BOUND TO
REDUCE 1T so FAR That 1T
WILL BE USELESS.
CALLED 'WASTEFUL ECONOMY
Experts Protest Against This Course,
While Administration Officials OBJ
ject to Attempt of the Legislators to
Fix a Governmental Policy.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK


navy, so far us size and efficiency are
concerned, is to fall below the place
assigned to it in the treaty which re-
suited from the recent international
conference.
1t will be remembered that the ratio
of the three. greatest heets Of the
world was fixed nj 5-5-3. The United
States is one of the SIS. The Navy de-
partment seems TO be convinced that
the law makers before they GET
through with IL will SO fix things
that the sea forces of Uncle Sam
shall fall in equipment. person
mel and in general strength far
below the treaty authorization. This
the department says is called economy.
The sailor experts say that II Is waste.
Curious things are happening In con-
gress today. The house appropriation
committee is attempting to fix policy
for the government tn contradiction to
the plan outlined by those whose duty
1t Is to recommend policies and then
W uSh tilul tIC upp''p'eN'
of money be made to carry them out.
So far as can be determined 1t seems
to be the intention Of the appropria-
tions committee to recommend only
enough money for navy whose enlist
ed strength shall be limited to $4,000
men. 1t is said that such a navy will
be wholly inefficient. Service men say
that an inefficient navy Is worse than
no navy. and they are telling this
to congress. 1t is said with due
deliberation by some administration
officials that the government just as
we'll might retire from the seas as
to keep af1oat a feet inadequate for
any purpose of offense, defense or
proper training.
Harding Opposes Wasteful Economy.
The President is opposed 70 what
service men call the folly Of spending
money'on useless thing. Apparently
the administration believes that II a
few additional millions will make
Uncle Sans navy strong within its lim-
itations Of size, the additional millions
will be well spent. Notice virtually
has been given that the President Is
willing to serve the ends of economy.
but notice' has been given with 1t that
there Is such thing as wasteful econ
omy.
The committee on naval affairs of
the house Of representatives has rec
commended cut In the naval personnel
to about $4,000 men. 1t seems that
! the house appropriations committee Is
willing 10 recommend to the legisla-
tors that only enough money shall be
appropriated to pay 10000 men. 1t Is
by this declaration of the amount that
Il is willing to recommend for eXpend-
iture on the navy that the appropria-
tions committee Is attempting. as 1t Is
declared here. to fix a governmental
roilcy which it Is the duty of the Navy
department and Of the committees on
naval affairs to fix.
1t is believed that if the plan Of the
appropriations committee carries, and
the fleets OF the United States shall
be reduced to squadrons OF no par
ticular strategic value. such ships rs
Uncle Sam has must he concentrated
In the waters off one coast or the
other in order to maintain even an
appearance of being servlceable.
Cannot Protect Both Coasts.
Service men say the situation is just
as 1t would be If 1t were possible that
the United States one day was to be
attacked from the north and from the
south simultaneously by two hostile
forces, and there were only soldiers
enough to make some kind Of dem
onstration against one of the invading
armies. 1t would be necessary to leave
one frontier exposed.
The administration seems to be
alarmed today over this matter chiefly
because of the seeming determination
of the men who hold the money bags
to ignore the executive departments
and TO attempt to frame their own pol
icies for the protection of the country.
and to pay no heed to the recon-
mendations of men who have made
such matters their lfes study.
Officers Have Psychasthenia.
There Is evidence Of great in
terest throughout the country In
the reports of the surgeon generals S
office concerning the results Of the
phvsical examinations which regular
army officers are now undergoing. 1t
Is said that many cases have been
found which. taken together, show
that strange war-Strain ailment Is
affecting some Of the officer veterans.
Medical experts call 1t "psychas-
thenia."
There is something almost mystic
about this trouble which Is affecting
some of the men who saw service in
the war. Of course today 1t Is not
possible to bring all the men who saw
service to the examination room. and
30 the results of the investigations
which are being made can come only
from the comparatively few regular
officers who have been ordered before
examining boards to see II their con-