The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1922-02-25
sgcRlrARY OF NAvY's EsTI.
MATE CALLS FOR REDUCTION
IN PERSONNEL.
DENNY PROP0SESSLAsH
coNoREos IRRITATING FIGHT
OVER NAVAL RATIO
FIGURE.
tw.,rn N...p.pr Union S... ssv,es.,

Washington. - Secretary DENLY, in
asking Congress, for an appropriation
Of $3.50, 600, 600 for the navy next year,
ran into the edge OF Threatened
fight by advocates Of government
economy to SCRAP" the naval estab-
lishnent ratio figure arranged by the
arms conference.
In frank and detailed statement
ms to what the Navy Department
hoped to accomplish, Mr. DENLY told
the House naval committee that his
estimate called for "a reduction OF
10000 In enlisted personnel which was
made possible only, by putting about
100 destroyers out Of commission and
by sharp cuts In shore station forces.
Chairman Butler Indicated that the
figures named by the yecretary, COM
pared with an appropriation Of @412,-
100000 for the present fiscal year WAS
high, in view of reductions authorized
by the conference.
1t was brought out In the discus.
sion that some members Of Congress
believed in urging naval appropria-
tiOn bill carrying no more than *l15,-
OOO,OOO or &2OO.OOO,OOO. hut Mr.. DENLY
agreed with tho view expressed by
members Of the committee that such a
reduction would put the United States
actually below Great Britain and ia
pan, while leaving the tonnage ratio
at 5-5-3, as agreed to By the con-
ference.
Believing that with n smaller fight
ing force the navy should he kept ION
its toes" leaders standing behind Sec
rotary Denby's estimate declared that
to limit the appropriation under 1900
100000 would mean for the United
States q navy really smaller than that
Of Japan. They insisted that instead
OF five-five each for the United States
and Great Britain and three for Japan.
the standing would be with the esti-
mate no widely slashed n ratio Of
Great Britain five. United States two
and Japan three.
In opposing any reduction In the line
officer personnel. the navy secretary
also recommended that the first class
at the naval academy be graduated
and commissioned, leaving the status
Of other classes to be determined by
Congress.
Mr.. DENLY told the committee the
navy was undetermined. and that.
while lie had been giving the subject
close study, 1t was only recently the
idea occurred to him that he could
recommend an enlisted strength Of co.
600, or 10000 below the authorized
mark. by putting 100 destroyers out Of
commission. He stood firm on his esti.
mate, members OF the committee de-
cinring nfterwnrd that they were in
clined to accept 1t.
Most of the opposition In the House
to "a 100 per cent navy" was reported
to exist among members from the Mid
die West and plains states. Represen-
tntlve MOndell of Wyoming. the Repub-
lIcan leader, has been listed among
those ready to fight to cut the navy to
the bone.
While members of the appropriations
subcommittee, which will fix the
navy's total, were unwilling to be
quoted, some OF them intlmated they
had been Impressed by the navy view
that the only way to keep the ratio
of the three biggest naval powers at
the figures set by the arms conference
was by giving every ship Its compete
complement Of officers and men.