New-York tribune., 1922-04-10
Fight Opens
For 10000
Naval Force
CONTINUED from pace orc)

garded by the adoption Of this bill, we
will sink to the rank Of third rate
naval power, with little voice in any
future world councils.
What Bill Wonld Accomplish
"No one doubts that the potential
superiority of the American Navy WIS
tho controlling factor in the ncgotia-
tions Of the recent conference, Had
our delegates neqotat d a treaty that
placed this country below Great Brit
ain or Japan in naval strength, they
would have been denounced as traitors
not a single vote Of the Senate would
haze been recorded IN It's faVor-yet
this bill proposes to place this country
in that very position.
"rhe provisions Of this bill are not
only in opposition to the basic naval
policy of the country. but are in op-
position to the views Of President
Harding, Secretary DENLY, Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt. the chief Of naval
ooerations, the comm ander in chief o.
the feet. the general board and Of
every naval officer THAI has been called
in the hearings.
eve note that the subcommittee o
recommends as a complement for the
eighteen battleships 18,259 men The
NAVY Department has determined this
number to be 21,158 The average
complement on a British battleship de
termined by battle experience is ,214
men. the Navy Department total is
based on An average complement Of
l.175. which is thirty less than
the British.
"Thc list Of ships shown in the re-
port Of the subcommittee does not col
tain all the units that the Navy De
partment declares necessary for a We
rounded fleet. The report dwelIs It
length on the cost of the destroyers
the inference being that they are no.
of sufficient value to the country 70
Justify the expense. Destroyers are
vitality necessary to any feet, but par
ticularly in our feet. where they
of which there is great shortage com
pared with Great Britain. The high
cost last year was due largely to the
initial expense Of fitting out new YES
sells This is not mentioned in the re-
port.
"The proposal to scrap the sub-chas-
ers and Eagle boats is serious blow
at the regular training OF naval re
serves These reserves form the only
training civilian class upon which the
navy can draw in time Of national
emergency. National security demandS
that we retain and build up our naval
reserve.
"The report of the committee states
that on February 1888 men were
on shore stations. This statement is
an error; the number should be 32.S61,
as the Navy Department has explained
to the subcommittee.
THE average enlisted strength of the
British Navy, excluding marines for
the next year. is stated b. the Navy
Department to be approxim ately no.
600. This is ~ ,0co more than this bill
provides for the United States Navy.
Japan contempiates an enlisted
strength for the next year OF 6S.252
men. This is over 1000 more men
than allowed our navy.
"Under the J-5-3 ratio we should
have 10000 as compared with Great
Britain and $4,000 as compared with
Japan
The grand total prepared in this
bil} for the naval establishment is
s233. 3.224.00S.' the report continues. The
British naval budget, complete, is ap-
proximately e75. sos 1856. The japanese
budget is 1893 .662,576 yen
''Transating these sums int y
at the prevalent rate Of eychar .
give you very much larger appropc a