Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-05-06

NJ time ago the house voted. 1T ayes
y to 100 noes, to increase the personnel
of the navy from $1,000, recommended by
the appropriations committee in the interests
of economy, to $4,000, urged strongly by
President Harding in a personal message to
the house.
Behind his message to congress, which is
credited with the overturn of the committees
recommendations and the overruling of Re-
publican leadership of the house in this mat
ter, was pressure which was brought to bear
on the president by members Of the senate.
The action taken by the house was and still
is viewed from many angles. BY some 1T is
called a severe and unwarranted further at
tack on the pocketbook of the American tax
payer. 1t has been called a victory for
militarism. By others still 1T is said that
even 5000 men is not the full number need
ed to man the ships properly of the restrict
ed navy allotted the United States under
the treaty agreed upon at the recent con-
ference for the limitation of ornaments.
The members of the house all have to go
before their constituents this fall for re-
election 1t was generally felt that the
country at large wants government OUTLAWS
of money cut to the very bone Any war Of
the future is felt to be many years away, If
not entirely improbable, even impossible.
The countries of the world, carrying enor-
mously heavy war debts and consequent
large loads of taxes, are not, as 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 powers was still be-
fore the senate for ratification, President
Harding was told in no uncertain terms
by certain western senator's that unless the
larger personnel for the navy was strongly
recommended by him to the house, the pros
poets for ratification of the naval treaty
would be slim indeed.
The Senate Situation
In the midst of all of the row about the
personnel of the navy, with most members
of the house facing immediate account
ability to their constituents for voting 49,
900 additional men, strong group OF sena-
tors took the stand that it would be ridic-
ulous thing to have a certain number of
fighting ships allowed in the American navy,
if some Of them were going to be so stripped
of crew that they would have to lie idle at
their moorings, with only sufficient force
aboard to keep the vessels from being ut
terry ruined by rust and neglect.
The navy department repeatedly pointed
out to congress and the people that only
portion of the capital ships allowed the
United States could be kept in commission,
with trained men to operate them, if the cut
to $1,000 men was made in the personnel OF
the navy. In spite of this, the leaders of the
majority in the lower branch of congress
in the interests of economy and in response
to the public clamor against continuing
heavy taxes if they can in any way be re-
duced, were bent on putting through the
smaller naval quota
President Harding did not want to en-
barrass any member of the house, particu-
larly the leadership of that body, by using
his influence in the fight. He having been
member of congress he knew the exact
situation in which many of its present mem
bers with an election on their hands, found
themselves. However, he was moved to
urge the larger personnel because of the fact
that otherwise ratification of the naval
treaty in the senate would nave been the
subject of a real fight, with strong posslblll
ties of defeat
1t can be stated on the best authority that
one of the western senator's, and one who
has long been associated with naval legisla-
ton, told the preside fatty that he and sew
eral of his colleagues would have to fight the
naval treaty to the last ditch unless what they
considered an adequate personnel for the
American navy was provided. The defeat OF
the treaty would have been far more series
question for the country and the whole
world than would the addition or sub
traction of 10 900 men from the personnel
of the American navy. 1t would have upset
all of the international agreements reached
here in Washington by the world powers. 1t
would have meant going on with the in
terminable race of naval arguments, and in
the end would have l-eant, the administra-
ton felt very much greater tax burdens
than the 10000 increase of the navy person
mel could possibly mean.
1t is generally believed here that many of
the people of the country will Cisapprove OF
the enlarged personnel voted for the navy,
because of the fact that government funds,
rails d. by taxes on the people, are required
to support them. By proponents of the