New-York tribune., 1922-02-26
Harding Would
Not Cul Navy
Below 10000
Tell. House Committee at
Conference Force Should
Be Maintained al Figure
Sci by the Arms Par'ey
Basis for Compromise
May Commission Only l35
OF Annapolis Class: Plan
to ssciirc 400 Officers

ASHINGTON. Feb 90 President
Harding inaugurntcd an effort today
TO reconcile wide differences Of opn-
ion between the Navy Department and
Congress as to the size and cost of the
navy for the ncXt fiscal year.
At a White House conference with
Republican members Of tho House
Naval Committee and Representative
Mondell. Of Wyoming. the Republican
leader tho President. seeking to com
promise what some members have de-
scrbcd as "thc extreme views" is said
to have declared that, with the size Of
the navy tiXcd by the arms conference
the total enlisted personnel ought not
20 be less than $4,000
Secretary Dcnby, in outlining de
partmcnt needs to the committee. has
insisted on an enlisted strength Of 90
000 and the rresent officer personnel
including 10 members Of the first
class at Annapolis to be graduated in
June. Chairman Butler and other
members Of the committee have insist
ed, howover, that Nh Denby's figures
for an appropriation bill, carrying a
total Of $3.50, 100000, we're too high
and reports have reached the Prcsi-
dent that a considerable number o.
House members we're demanding a cut
30 sweeping that there might be funds
enough in the new navy bill for only
10000 men.
Basis OF Compromise Seen
in the face Of determined opposition
to his estiniatc Nh Don>,r and Admiral
Coont7, chief Of naval operations. an
nounccd that they stood pat on their
figures
1t was because of this situation that
the President called IN the Republican
committccmer, with whom he con-
iefred for an hour and half in gen
,ral cNchengC of views.
The feeling prevailed in some quar-
tors Tonight that the President bad
hit upon an easy basis Of compromise
and That he had let it be known he
would not approve bill that might
ehcctually "scrap' the navy below the
arms conference point through fail
ure to provide sufficient men to man
the eighteen battleships and Other
craft allotted the United States by in
ternational agreement.
As the roa fight over the size and
cost of the navy will be before the
subcommittee on appropriations. Of
which Representative Kelley. Repubi-
can, is chain man, there was Il Sugges-
ton that Mr.. kclley's and M Butler
committees. or rather the Republican,
members OF each, get together The
witnesses now appearing before the
Naval Committee Will be called By tho
appropriations Committee, when will
name the bill.
Employment Question Involved
The Naval Committee was sand to be
in accord with the Presidents sug-
gcstion that Congress expedite legisla
ton for conversion of two battle cruis-
ers now building into airplane car
riers. The sum Of $4,000, 900 each has
been expended on the cruisers and Adj
mlral Coontz estimated that the two
could be converted for 10000 900 each.
which would DC SIS 100000 cheaper. he
said. than building anew. Vessels
which may be selected for such con
version are building at Fore River
Mass, Newport News and Philadelphia.
and 1t was pointed out that by an early
starr employment could be provided
for number of men.
The status Of the first class at
Annapolis was not touched en- in
detail at to-day's conference, although
it was saId the Pres dent advocated
sharp cut in the number of men to
b. admitted each year during The
naval holiday Chairman Kelley's com
mittee, in considering informally some
means of reducing the naval appro
pr'aton, has in mind plan by which
l33 OF the $40 members of the frs.
class will be commissioned, the othoss
being turned back to civil Nfe.
Full Complement of Officers
Not much was forthcoming as to The