The Washington herald., 1922-12-15
Movement for Another Confer.
ence Loses Strength In
Several Directions.
BIG PROGRAM MAPPED OUT
General Board Recommends
New Construction Estimated
F to Cost $331 900, 1000.
By WINDER r. HARRIS.
Universal Service.

The EFFORT OF the House Appro- |
priations Committee through Q pro-
vision in the navy bin to initiate !
another conference for the Iimita- |
ton Of smaller war craft not af.
fected by the fivepower naval
treaty lost strength in some direc-
tons and gained in others yester-
day.
From every direction, however.
the fact stood out that the at
tempted Limitation Of capital ships
has brought about another menace
to the security OF the United States
on the seas.
WOULD COST 1881 go go.
The House was told BY Chairman
Kelley. Of the Appropriations sub
committee. that the Navy Gen
eral Board had recommended a
construction program estimated to
cost 1881. 100000 as necessary to
meet the competition Of Japan and
Great Britain.
! Representative Linsberger, Re-
publican. Of California, said that
President Harding has been en-
gagged In doing what the provi-
sion Of the navy bill would request
him to do-institute negotiations
looking to limitation of smaller
naval vessels and aircraft.
Lineberger announced that he
would offer an amendment COM
mending the President for what he
already has done towards solving
the naval competition problem.
Sentiment among Senators In
strongly hostile to the calling Of
another disarmament conference.
Senator Lodge yesterday expressed
himself as being unalterably op-
posed to the House plan.
HAVE STOOD ASIDE.
He said he would inform the
Senate that the American delega-
ton in the Washington conference
did their utmost to get the other
nations to agree to go the limit in
reducing their naval and land arm.
aments.
England and Japan backed up the
United States in this position. the
Senator said. but France refused
fatty to discuss the question CT
reduction Of land armaments and
was willing to meet the other ma
tions only halfway on the subject
of naval reduction.
Senator Borah said he might
support the House proposal, Ill
though he was convinced that
nothing would come Of it,"
Senator King. OF Utah. said he
would oppose the plan. but would
offer a substitute extending the
plan Of a conference to all the na-
tions Of the world. including Rus
sia and Turkey.
WILL URGE CONFERENCE.
After Representative Lneberger
had indicated his opposition to the
item remaining in the bill. Chair
man Butler, Of the Naval Affairs
Committee, announced that he will
take his stand with those at the
head of the movement for limitation
of smaller war craft. He will 60 to
the White House within the next few
days to urge upon the President
that he issue q call for another con-
ference.
In a formal statement issued last
night. Mr.. Butler declared the five
power treaty had failed because the
other nations embraced within IL
have violated its spirit by merely
transferring their building energies
to the smaller ships permitted under
the terms Of the pact.
Chairman Kelley declared unless
the former conference 10 to turn
out to be a bowling farce. there
must be a limitation placed upon
other ships by agreement with the
nations Of the world" Asked by
Representative London, Socialist. OF
| nm
results from the naval treaty thus
far. Kelley frankly replied, NO"
BIG OPPORTUNITY LOST.
Representative Britten, Of Illinois.
ranking Republican Of the Naval
Affairs Committee, declared:
I'VE have lost the opportunity to
become the first naval power on
earth. We probably shall be the
second or third"
The general boards program to
meet the new British and Japanese
competition, as given to the House
by Kelley, provides for the follow
ing constructions:
100000 each, $16s.000. 900: three
mine-laying submarines. $4,000. 900
each, S12 900, 900; three scout sub
marines, $4,000 900 apiece. $4,000
900: one additional airplane carrier.
s22. 900. 900; six gunboats; total, s1s..
900. 900.
The general board also, Kelley de-
clared, recommends that the battle
ships this country has be remodeled
at a cost Of 10000. 900. AS against
these projected expenditures. he ex-
planned. there would be a net saving
of only s12S.000.0 900 II the naval