Evening star., 1922-05-02
The Navy and President Harding.

,: Entire credit is given by the news
papers of the, country to President
Harding Tor compelling Congress to
fix the strength of the Navy at 5000
instead of $1,000 men.
Thoughtful men, who were con-
cerned about the risk of reducing the
Navy while world conditions are still
unsettled" says the New York Times,
"wil breathe more freely. land by the
result President. Harding gains in
influence In addition, party lines
were obliterated." points out the In
dianapolis News. land the leadership
of the President was followed" =:
But the House did not go far
enough, in the viewpoint Of the Bos-
ton Transcript, which appeals to the
than 10000 men. "A. smaller person
mel is only a .maseshift," It declares:
Now is the time to begin to- tell the
people whole truth about the
Navy instead of tickling their palates
with political 'huslr> daf1ings' OF the
sort-that candidates for Office delight
TO distribute in. a campaign year@ It
was a national .poficy of intelii-
-gencer' that the President advocated
in insisting on the larger Navy, the
Chicago Post believes, and 1T is com
WINGED that "thoughtful men and
necessary improvements of rivers and
harbors< while taxes remain high
There are many justifiable public
works which can wait auntiEthe back :
wash from the war has ceased mud
dying the waters of business. In such
ma tiers Congressman are loath- to
wait. They want the! credit of max
ing, visible improvements but many
Of them seem willing to LEAVE the un-
scrapped ships: of the Navy anchored
UP some river side by side with the
Shipping Boards merchant marine
gathering barTacles for the lack OF
men to keep them in condition.
. .sMahy persons demand economy at
all costs" the. Adrian tMieh:l 'Tele-
gram points out, land are willing 20
make any sacrifice for IT, but there's IS
no reason to- believe that the masses
of the American people have chang- M
ed their minds as..to sea power; the
great majority sfin want the Navy, to
be. strong and efficient.ss.: In, addi-
tion,. it must be remembered, the
Savannah Press points out, we don't
know that there. will be- any power
full ally to- help lis in the next war.
There may not be any friendly: ally
to; get our war establishment. in
working. order. Until all of the ma
.tfons are combined in q great peace
league everybody realizes that we
cannot plunge into disarmament I'M
mediatelyrcor by Wholesale. because
none -of the other NATIONS .LnaLg Were
parties to: the, Washington, CONFER
ence. have planned disarmament on a
wholesale; scale. the Cincinnati Times
Star points out that ."it would be
'unwise" to reduce the man power of
the Navy at this time. s"Eiae saetisn
of the House, 1T says, us in tine
direction Of common sense. and there
IS every reason TO believe that tne e
Senate will see: it in the, same light"
There is district note OF disap-
proyal:: however, Sin the comment of
the Tulaa (OkIa.) Tribune, (which
contends that "if the $4,000 personnel
is necessary under. the ,Washingto
treaty, then that agreement d1dn,f
bring the. American people much rAs,
spite OF the Washington coqferencey
we must bear burden ofsnaval ex-,
penditure twice as Efeat as we have
ever carried ins time Of peace.s there.
will he many people TWhe will con-
clude that the, administration. bally,'
hoo, on thes merits off conference
has been considerably eyerdone;e!. 7.
Similar sentiments are enteFtalned
by the. .Johnstown .fPalt0enocratt
terinc to the voice of the peopieawho
are. cla mofing fen relief from an pps
nressiye and destructive; burden.sof
taxation; due in major part to- an
Army and Navy. President Harding
turrlss4Sa receptive ear to the war
lords who plot year am ip sa ana !; yssH masI 4HI
tea, would transform this peaceful
land fntc An armed camp" And so far
m popular approval Of the action OF