The New York herald., 1922-02-26
HARDING MEDIATES
TO FIX Navy NEEDS
Confers With MOndell and
House Committee Leaders
to Frame Compromise.
DENNY STANDING FIRM
President Said to Insist Oh
No Scrapping Below Arms
Farley Figures.
CASE OF MIDSHIPMEN
Kelley's subcommittee to
Urge Keeping Only 135 of
$40 in First Glass.
CASE OF MIDSHIPMEN

wAsHIN GroN, Feb. rs. - President
Harding inaugurated an effort to-day
10 reconcile wide differences of opin-
ion between the Navy Department and
Congress as to the size and cost of the
navy for the next fiscal year.
At a White House conference with
Republican members of the House
Naval Committee and Representative
Mondell Of Wyoming, the Republican
leader, the President, seeking to COM
promise what some members have de-
scribed as "the extreme views" Is said
to have declared that with the size Of
the navy fixed by the arms conference
the total enlisted personnel ought not
be less than 10000.
Secretary DENLY. in outlining depart
ment needs to the committee, has in
sisted on an enlisted strength of 10000
and the present officer personnel, in
Guiding $40 members of the first class
at Annapolis to be graduated in June.
Sweeping Cut Demanded.
Chairman Butler and other members
of the committee have insisted, how
ever, tldL MT. DeuDy llSulSS iOi az
appropriation bill. carrying n total of
S35O, 600 900, were too high, and reports
have reached the President that con-
siderable number Of House members
were demanding cut so sweeping that
there might be funds enough in the
new navy bill for only 10000 men.
In the face of determined opposition
TO his estimate Mr.. DENLY and Admiral
Coontz, chief of naval operations, an
figures.
II was because OF this situation that
the President called in the Republican
committeeman, with whom he conferred
for an hour and a half in general
exchange of views.
The feeling prevailed in some quarters
tonight that the President had hit upon
an easy basis Of compromise ana that
he had let II be known he would not
auprove a bill that might effectually
"scrap" the navy below the arms con-
ference point through failure to pro-
vide a sufficient force to man the
eighteen battleships and other craft al
lotted the United States by international
agreement.
Real Fight i'm subcommittee.
AS the real fight over the size and
cost of the navy will be before the SUB
Representative Kelley (Rep.. Mich) is
chairman. there was a suggestion that
Mr. KeIley's and Mr.. Buffers commit
tees or rather the Republican members
of each. get together. The witnesses
row appearing before the Naval Conn
mittee will be called by the Approprla-
lions Committee, which will frame the
bill
The Naval Committee was said to be
in accord with the Presidents sugges-
tion that Congress expedite legislation
for conversion of two battle cruisers
now building into airplane carriers.
The sum of 100000 each has been
expended on the cruisers, and Admiral
Coontz estimated that the two could
he converted for s1S,000.0o0 each. which
would be 600 cheaper. he said,
than building anew.
Vessels which may be selected for
such conversion are building at Fore
River. Mass, Newport News and Phila-
delphia, and it was pointed out that by
an early start employment could be
provided for a number of men,
The status OF the first class at An
napolis was not touched on in detail at
to-day conference. although 1t was said
the President advocated sharp cut In
the number of men TO be admitted each
year during the naval holiday.
Midshipmen Problem.
Chairman Kelley's subcommittee, in
considering informally some means OF
reducing the naval appropriation, has in
mind a plan by which 1876 of the $40
members OF the first class will be COM
,1nissioned, the others being turned back
TO civil life.
Not much was forthcoming as to the
Presidents ideas concerning possible re-
ductions in the officer personnel, but
reports at the Capitol indicated that
members had been impressed with the
navy argument that to keep the treaty
navy" on its toes full complement
would be required for each ship. 1t is
known, however. that the Appropriations
Committee plans to retire about 400 re-
filed officers of varying rank now on
active duty.
Chairman Butler after the conference
announced that his committee would
continue hearing Navy Department Of
ficcrs while Chairman's Kelley's COM
1nittee also expects TO begin its hearings
early ia the week. Representative Kel-
ley has told members that In framing
The bill he would stick to his announced
program Of relegating 20 the junk heap
every ship Of no military value in ma
tional defense, the enlisted personnel
total depending upon the number Of
vessels thus put out Of commission.