Arizona republican., 1922-04-15
HARDING TELLS
CONGRESS He IS
OPPOSED To GUT
IN NAVAL FORCE
Advises Against Slash In
Personnel Below So, 900
In Letter Forwarded
To House On Friday

WASHINGTON. April 14.-Presi-
dent Harding. in his first public
utterance on the 1923 naval bill, de-
clared in a letter presented today
to the house that while the decision
must lie with congress, he would be
greatly disappointed. as he believed
the country would be, il the enlisted
force was cut below $4,000.
The opinion was nit sent gratuitu-
ously. 1t was given iii response 10
a request for the presidents view by
Representative Longworth, Repub-
lican of Ohio, one of the leaders in
the fight to defeat the proposal in
the bill limiting the force to $1,000.
There had been unofficial statements
to the effect that the president OPP
posed a drastic reduction in per-
sonnel and that he stood for the
figure proposed in the Macarthur
amendment.
In presenting the letter toward the
close of an ali day debate, Mr.. Long
worth said he was glad to accept
the challenge from friends Of the
measure as framed. to find out what
the president wanted and to let the
house know.
Vote Today on Enlisted Question
The vote on the enlisted provision
section will come tomorrow. On the
eve Of the battle, both sides tonight
still were claiming victory.
Everything is fine and the bill,
as written, will pass said Chair
man Kelly, who is in charge of the
bill
I'VE will win. unless too many of
our supporters leave town for
Easter" said Representative Me-
Arthur of Oregon, Republican MEM
ber of the naval COMMITTEES, ready
with an amendment, providing for
$4,000 men the moment the section
is reached.
Friends oe the "big navy" had
planned early today to force the
fight over until next week, but
Chairman Kelley resisted all at
when the measure was called up
to be read, item by item, the clerk
had barely turned a page wheh the
fight started on the enlisted ques-
ton and it ragged increasingly until
night. In the end the house, worn
out by hours Of talk, quit nine
pages ahead Of the disputed pro-
vision.
One amendment was accepted and
one was voted dawn. There was no
objection toathe first, by Representa-
tive Towner, Republican Of Iowa, for
an increase from $260,000 TO S34aOO0
for the government Of the Virgin Is
lands, but the other, for increasing
the appropriations for the Great
Lakes naval station from $780, 000 to
$500 900, offered by Representative
Chindblom, Republican OF Illinois,
the home state of the station, was re-
jected So to 81. But the figures did
not represent the full voting strength
on the floor. Bitter at times. the
debate often took a lighter turn.
A telegram from Commander Mac
Nider of the American Legion, re-
ceived today by Mr.. Macarthur, and
read to the house urging a full man
force for ships permitted by the
treaty, developed that the represen-
tative members OF the legion were
not behind the bigger navy fight. .
Representatives Rankin. Democrat
of Mississippi, and Arentz, Republi-
can of Nevada, declared the commit
tee bill sustained the sos ratio,
which they contended was all the
legion asked.
There We're many attacks on the
accuracy of the figures supplied by
the intelligence bureau of the navy
with respect to the enlisted treaty
strength of Great Britain and Japan.
Naval experts we're included in the
criticism, Representative Mann. Re-
publican of Illinois. saying they had
insisted on building the Great Lakes
station, which they said now was not
needed The station, he said, vir
tually would be wiped out of exist
ence by the bill. Representative
Rodgers, Republican of Massachu
setts. one of the leaders in the fight
for S6, 900 men and who obtained the
views of Secretary Hughes which
were sent to the house early in the
week, submitted today a letter from
Secretary DENLY with a table show
ing how the various forces proposed
would be placed.
The letter provoked a fresh attack
on navy estimates by Chairman Kel-
ley who produced letter written by
the secretary to the President on
April 5, saying he had recommended
a strength OF $4,000 and believed with
that number "the navy can be main
tanned with a reasonable degree of
efficiency"
And so the secrtary has written
Mr. Kelley shouted. "that he could
get along with $4,000. How can a
committee act on such varying and
shifty estimates from the navy de-
partment.
IF we wait a couple of days wont
the secrtary come down to your fig
ure OF 67,000?" asked Representative
Roach, Democrat of Missouri, but the
chairman did not reply.