Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-03-20
CONFERENCE WORK
FOR DISARMAMENT
PRAISED BY BALL
Senator Says, However, We
Cannot Go Further Than
Terms OF tho Agreement.
GUEST OF NAVAL N0TABLEs
Special Dispatch From Every Evenings
Warrington Correspondent

QpScial Dispatch From Every Evenings
Washington Correspondent.
Washington. March Ex-senator L.
Ha,sler Bail Of Delaware. representing
the Senate naval affairs committee.
spoke ~ . banquet OF the American
Society of Naval Engineers. Satur-
day night At the New Willard hotel In
th,s city. There were in attendance
about two hundred government Of
ficials and naval off'cers.
Mos, of the discussion at tho ban
ouet waa hased on the recent Inter
national Conference on tho Limitation
cf Armaments. varied naval problems
icinx considered by the speakers In
their remarks.
1T Is n very great honor" said Sena-
tor Bail. "to be the guest of those who
have made the navy OF tho United
States second 10 none IN the world.
Your accomplishments in the World
War and I'm the spanish American
war have caused all countries 10 look
up 20 our nation with respect and
honor. But the troubles that have
threatened civilization. and the general
unstable conditions OF the world today
have made Il necessary. II possible. TO
prevent repetition of the devastating
methods or warfare. a. practiced in
our war with Germany. Warfare as
conducted in that conflict is but little
short OF murder. Bravery. manhood
and patriotism were given no chance.
TO eliminate these cruel methods.
and II possible. 90 prevent further
conflict we have just completed n
conference held IN our national CAPT
tai. That conference has. we believe.
accomplished much for the safety OF
the future.
In the region OF the Pacific. where
nisunders,s ndlnss seemed probable,
agreements have been reached. which
We believe will greatly lessen the pos
sibilny ~ serious trouble.
AL nations were becoming bank
rupt. if they were not already IN that
condition. by the reasonable eN-
pcnditure OF money FOR armament. and
definite agreement has been reached
limiting FOR the next ten years. a;
least. the building program ~ those
nations. as well as the number and
s,xe OF the hattlcships and cruisers 20
he retained in any OF the nsv;es
"A definite agreement. In other
words. has been reached, fixing the
selatiVe size OF navies OF all the
principal maritime nation. o' the
world
1T has been nNe5 as the minimum
slre ot navy 20 properly police the
shores " these nations and 10 pro
tect their citizens and property and q
properly guard our merchant marin,
snd this has been agreed AZ the mini.
mum that could be adopted with
safety.
"A navy IN its strength depends no
only upun the number OF Its battle
snire and crui>er~ but upon the ef
ncicncy cf that navy. That es
acienoy depends upon the personne,
IN. gunnery. the s,eamins ability o
units. and its ability 20 properly CO
ordinate when IN action. Unless W
have the navy of the United States
ss granted by this agreement, fun,
manned with properly trained mer
with propsly equipped ships, an
the~ ships having sufficient prac;ic
20 cooperate as one. We have no; a
srrcient navy.
This country has q right 10 expec
thst whatever navy as granted 10 thi
nation. n only few small boats. rha
those boats shall be efficient.
Limitation OF armament was cor
s.dcred at the conference. That cor
ference fixcd definitely the ratio {
tho navies OF the world. In my tuds
rnent, further disarmament. Is out {
place 20 Re considered either by n
navy Department or by Congress
True Il 4. Congress VIII make the al
propris;ions that will enable the Nav
pepartment 20 live UP 10 the reQuir'
inent- Of this agreement, and II thi
brunch OF the government falls
make proper appropriations. then Coz
rr~ss alone becomes responsible Il
the lack OF security OF our citizens ar
OF our property.
True, economy must be Dracticed
this time. but economy that places
s.opardv our trade with foreign nj
tIons-that would fail 10 prote
American citizens and protect us fro
outside sggression-is not true econ
INV.
I'VE Nnd the other nations accep
gng the results OF the conference. a.
granting 10 their navies proper a.
that they might become eiiic!eI
though limited In size. and l do n
believe thai the United States can a
ford 20 fail 10 do likewise. We mu
never lose sight OF the fact that Il
81 Limitation by agreement and We ca
not afford 20 furths dlsarm. even
an example 20 the world. Il Is O
duty 10 make the navy granted by IN
conference an efficient. cO-operati
navy. ready 81 any time 10 proper
protect the interests Of this natic
whether it be our merchant marine
our citizenship. Unless this Is dol
- not only fail to carry out
policy adopted by the delegates TO I
conference but We fail In our duty
properly guarantee that protecti
which our country demands"