Arizona republican., 1922-05-05
BY Frederic J. Haskin

by Frederic - E1dSklH
WASHINGTON. d. c.. May A
short time ago the House voted. 1T
ayes to 130 noes, to increase the per-
sonnel of the Navy from $1,000. re-
commended by the Appropriations
Committee in the interest of economy
to $4,000, urged strongly by President
Harding in a personal message to
the House.
Behind his message to Congress,
which is credited with the overturn
of the committees recommendations
and the overruuling of Republican
leadership of the House in this mat
ter. was pressure which was brought
to bear on the President by members
of the Senate. The action taken by
the House was and still is viewed
from many angles. BY some 1t is
called a severe ard unwarranted
further attack on the pocketbook OF
the American taxpayer. 1t has been
called victory for militarism. BY
others still it is said that even $4,000
men is not the full number needed to
man the ships properly of the re-
stricted Navy allotted the United
States under the treaty agreed upon
at the recent conference for the
limitation of armaments.
The members of the House all have
to go before their constituents this
fall for reelection. 1t was generally
felt that the country at large wants
Government outlays of money cut to
the very bone. Any war OF the future
is felt to be many years away, II not
entirely improbable, even impossible.
The countries OF the world, carrying
enormously heavy war debts and
consequent large loads OF taxes, are,
not, as a matter of fact. eager to re-
sumo fighting with each other on
any considerable scale.
But while the treaty to limit the
naval armaments of the great powers
was still before the Senate for rati-
fication. President Harding was tod
in no uncertain terms by certain
western senator's that unless the
larger personnel for the navy was
strongly recommended by him to the
House. the prospects for ratification
of the naval treaty would be slim in
deed.
The Senate Situation
In the midst Of all the row about
the personnel of the Navy, with most
Members OF the House facing an inn
mediate accountability to their con-
stituents for voting $4,000 additional
men. a strong group of Senators
took the stand that 1t would be a RI
diculous thing to have certain
number of fighting ships allowed in
the American Navy If some of them
were going to be so stripped Of crew
that they would have to lie idle at
their moorings with only sufficient
force abroad to keep the vessels
from being utterly ruined by rust and
neglect.
The Navy Department repeatedly
people that only a portion OF the
capital ships allowed the United
States could be kept in commission.
with trained men to operate them, II
the cut to $1,000 men was made In
the personnel of the Navy. In spite
of this. the leaders of the majority
In the lower branch of CONGRESS, IN
the interests of economy and in re-
Spouse to the public clamor against
continuing heavy taxes If they can IN
any way be reduced, were bent on
putting through the smaller naval
quota,
President Harding did not want to
enbarrass anv Members of the
House particularly the leadership OF
that body. by using his influence IN
the fight. Fe having been Member
of Congress he knew the exact situa :
tion In which many of its present
Members. with an election on their
hands. found themselves. However
he was moved to urge the larger
personnel because of the fact that
otherwise ratification of the naval
treaty in the Senate would have
been the subject of real fight with
strong possibilities OF defeat.
1t can be stated on the best author
ity that one Of the western Senators
and one has long been associated
with naval legislation, told the Presi +
dent flatly that he and several OF
his colleagues woud have to fight the
naval treaty to the last ditch unless
what they considered an ADEQUATE
personnel for the American Navy
was provided The defeat of the
treaty would have been 9. far more
serious question for the country and
the whole world than would the ad-
dition or subtraction of 10000 men
from the personnel OF the American
Navy. 1t would have upset all the
international agreements reached
here In Washington by the world
powers 1t would have meant going
on with the interminable race of ma
val arguments, and in the end would
have meant. the administration felt
very much greater tax burdens thar
the 10000 increase of the Navy per
sonnel could possibly mean.
II is generally believed here thai
many of the people Of the country
will disapprove Of the enlarged per-
sonnel voted for the Navy because oi
tha fart that Government funds