The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-04-10
RIGID OPPOSITION
TO SUCH RADICAL
CUTS in NAVY BILL
Minority Report Says Proposed
Reduction Would Ignore
"Basis Naval Policy"
SAYS THAT THE UNITED
STATES BE THIRD-RATE
Prospects For Amendment TO
1928 Naval Bill care Excellent"
Declares Macarthur
Wy The Associated Press)

WASHINGTON, April 9.-The pro-
posal Of the house appropriations COM
mittee for a navy in 1928 Of $1,000 men
and 1856 officers was vigorously at
tackled today In minority report
signed by five republicans and one
democrat, and in statements issued by
Representative Britten, Illinois, and
+, NcArtblr. Oregon, republican mem
hers of the house naval committee.
A reduction Of the naval forces of
the United States to the extent recon-
nended bv the committee woU'd ig-
more "the basic naval policy set down
ioy the arms conference, the minority
report declared, asserting that an en-
listed personnel of $4,000, with 5000
apprentices would be necessary to keep
the United States abreast of Great Bril-
tain and ahead of Japan. >
Representative Britten said if the
ill had been framed by the British
and Japanese delegates with the inten-
ton Of wrecklng the American navy
they could not have more deliberately
reduced the United States to a third
rate power" while Representative Nc
Arthur said a canvass he had made
gave him hopes of the adoption of an
amendment providing for $4,000 men.
For the first time in it's history"
said the minority report filed by six
members Of the appropriation commit
tee. this country has adopted naval
policy. 1t means equality with the
strongest. II that policy Is now disre-
garded by the adoption of the navy bill
we will sink to the rank Of a third
rate naval power, with little voice in
any future world councils. No one
doubts that the potential superiority
Of the American navy was the con-
trolling factor in the negotiations Of
the recent conference. Had our dele
gates negotiated a treaty that placed
this country below Great Britain or
Japan in naval strength they would
have been denounced as traitors-not
single vote of the senate would have
been recorded in it's favOr-yet this bill
proposes TO place this country in that
very position"
The report was signed by Represen-
tatives Tinkham, Massachusetts; Ware,
Pennsylvania; Watson, New Hamp-
shire; Magee and Hustled, New York,
republicans; and Galhvan, Massa-
chusetts, democrat ..
The underlying principle in which
The future strength OF our navy must
he determined Is It's strength in rela-
tion to Great Britain and Japan" the
report said, This is the policy of the
5-5-S ratio that is equality with Great
Britain and 5-S OF the strength of ia
pan
The bill ignores that basic policy
and bears no reference to the other
powers whose strength must determine
our proportion In this ratio. This bill
IS an attempt to disregard the navies
OF Great Britain and Japan, to give us
the smallest force 70 the three and to
establish a principle for which no re-
Sponsible statesman in the worlds his
rory has ever stood, the principle Of
limitation Of armament by example.
The provisions Of this bill are not
only in opposition to the basic naval
policy of the country but are In oppo-
Sltlon TO the view of President Hard
ing Secretary Denby, Assistant Sec
Fe'ary Roosevelt, the chief OF naval
operations the commander in chief OF
inc fleet, the general board and of ev-
cry naval officer that has been called
IN the hearings"
Japan, the minority declared, con-
Cemphted an enlisted strength OF 6S,-
'oz' which is over 1000 more than
'"owed our navy. Under the 5-5-3
ratio' 1t added, I'VE should have 11O,-
VVo' as compared with Great Britain,
and $4,000 as compared with Japan"
prospects Of an amendment being
ADDED to the 1923 naval bill providing
IoF $4,000 enlisted men ARE excellent"
representative Macarthur. of Oregon,
4ISo republican member OF the naval
I50,'nomittee, y, said, adding that his pre-
E'cUon was made after canvassing the
mousse membership.