Norwich bulletin., 1922-04-10
Opposed to Dr Ic
 Reduction Navy Minority Repor ued by Representativ dtten and McArthur ofs ise Naval Committee.

washington, April 9.-The proposal of the house appropriations committee for a navy in 1923 of 67,0O0 men and S. Soo officers was vigorously attacked to- uay In minority report signed by five republicans and one democrat and in statements issued by Representatives Brltten of Illinois. and McArthur, re- publican members of the house naval committed.
 reduction of the naval forces of the Unlted States to the extent recommended by the committee would ignore '.the basic naval policy" set down by the arms eonrefence, the minority report declar- ed, asserting that an enlisted personnel or SOO00, with 5000 apprentices would be necessary to keep the United States abreast with Great Britain and ahead of Japan.
 Representative Britten said if the bill had been framed by British and Japan ese delegates with the intention of wrecking the American navy they could not have more deliberately reduced the United States to third rate power" while Representative McArthur said a canvass he had made gave him hopes of the adoption of an amendment pro viding for S0,000 men.
 "For the first time in it's history" said the minority report filed by six members of the appropriations committee, this country has adopted naval policy. It means equality with the strongest. If that policy is now disreggarded by adop- ton of the naval bill, we will sink to the rank of third rate naval power with little voice in any future world councils No one doubts that the poten- tiaI superiority of the American navy was the controlling factor in the nego- tions of the recent conference. Had our delegates negotiated treaty that plac- ed this country below Great Britain or Japan in naval strength they would have been denounced as traitors-not a single vote of the senate would have been rec order in it's favor-yet this bill propos- es to place this country in that very position"
 The report was signed by Representa- ties Tinl1ham, Massachusetts Vars, Pennsylvania; Watson, New Hampshire ; Magee and Husted, New York, republi- cans. and Gallivan, Massachusetts, dem ocrat.
 The underlying position which is fu- ture the strength of our navy must be determined is it's strength in relation to Great Britain and Japan the report said. This is the policy or the 5-o-s ratio that is equality with Great Bri- tain and 5-3 of the strength of Japan.
 "The bill ignores this basic policy and bears no reference to the other powers whose serength must determine our pro- portion in this ratio.
 ''The bill is an attempt to disregard the navies of Great Britain and Japan to give us the smallest force of the three and to establish a principle for which no responsible statesman in the worlds history has ever stood-the people ot limitation of armament by example.
 '"The provisions of this bill are moi only in opposition to the basic nava, policy of the country but are in op- position to the views of President Hard ing, Secretary Denby Assistant Secretary Roosevelt, the chief of naval operations the commander in chief of the fleet, the general board. and of every officer that has been called in the hearings" Japan, the minority declared, contem- plated an enlisted strength of 68,25G which is over 1000 more than allowed our navy"
 Under the 5-5-3 ratio" it added, "wt | should have 10000 as compared with l Great Britain and 13,000 as compared with Japan"
 Prospects of an amendment being add. ed to the 1923 naval bill providing fol | S0 900 enlisted men "are excellent Rep resentatfve McArthur, of Oregan, also a republican member of the committed said. adding that his prediction was I made after canvassing the house mem | bership.
 If the appropriations committee con tinues this policy of attempting to legis ! late by withholding funds for the prop i CT activities of the government" saiG 1 the Oregon member, there will soon bt 1 a revolt among the house members ant 1 # all propriating power in one committee wil 1 he abandoned"