New-York tribune., 1922-04-15
Calls
On House for
$4,000 Navy
Must Not Weaken Nation
Until New Agreement Is
Reached by Powers, He
Warns on Eve of Vote
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON. April 14.-President
harding to-day threw himself into the
hght to save the American navy from
cut IN the enlisted personnel which
would place this country's sea power
lar below the 5--3 ratio established
by the Washington conference as the
relative strength of Britain, the
United States and japan.
a strong hint that it may be possible
later to reduce the navy personnel to
the figure now being insisted upon by
the little navy men in the House was
given by the President, but this should
be accomplished he intimated, by in
ternational agreement, not by this
country weakening itself in advance
of Great Britain and Japan.
Limit of Safety Reached
ultimately, perhaps" he wrote to
Representative Longworth, in vigor-
Gus letter read by the Ohio member
to the House, "the lower figures pro-
posed may be reached, and | hope it
will be possible through later inter
national concert, but the trend toward
peace and security ought to be more
firmly established before going beyond
the limitation to which we were gladly
committed at the international con-
ference"
The President is known to desire
that another naval limitation confer
encc be held, certainly not later than
the end Of the present ten-year naval
holiday He is known to hope and be-
leve that the world will never see the
resumption of big battleship construc-
tion, but that conferences will gradu.
ally reduce the navies of the worlc
from competitive armament races tc
mere police forces for the prevention
of piracy. =
President Harding realizes kecnly
however, his friends point out. thai
this country's opportunity for forcins
such reductions would be crippled if il
should reduce itself to naval impotence
voluntarily in advance OF international
agreement.
Big Navy Men Foresec Victory
AS a result of the Presidents letter
the big navy men were confidently as.
serting tonight that tomorrow, when
the vote on personnel is expected, the
Macarthur amendment, fixing the num-
ber at $4,000 men, that named by the
President as the minimum will be
adopted.
Chairman Kelley, of the sub-com-
mittee on naval appropriations, was
also confident tonight, however, that
the committee recommendation of
$1,000 men would be upheld.
There is no doubt that the Presi-
dents letter has changed votes in the
House, and that even if the committee
oh tc L
reduced. This intervention always has
a potent influence, naturally, on the
adjustment between the House and
Senate, and there is small doubt that
the Presidents letter has clinched a
majority for the minimum personnel he
desires in the Senate.
President Harding's letter was re-
ceived with loud applause from almost
an even half of the members in the
chamber. Mr.. Longworth read it after
saying to Representative Kelley, of
Michigan, who had charge Of the draft
ing of the navy bill and is guiding its
course on the floor:
Hardings Plea Read to House
"The gentleman from Michigan has
repeatedly challenged any man to
quote the President of the United
States Here it is"
He then read the following letter:
81 have to acknowledge your letter
Of inquiry addressed to me on the 10th
instant. If l were to address the Con
gress formally | could say only what
have already said informally, because
| am we'll persuaded that it is not wise
to make so drastic a cut in the naval
appropriations as has been proposed
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