Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-04-09
1928 NAVY BILL
WITH PROVISION
FOR $4,000 MEN
IS BEFORE HOUSE
Measure Carries a Total of
S223,224,000, or $751;
100000 Less Than Ap-
propriated Last Year,
CUTS MADE POSSIBLE
BY CONFERENCE PACTS
Five e-Three Ratio Car
ried Out; Only 200 An
napoIis Graduates Are to
Receive Commissions,

tBy The Associated Press>
Washington, April s (by the AS
sociated Prcss) Tile 1923 naval
bill, carrying out the fivc-five-
three ratio was reported today TO
the house.
1t carries total of S2S2,224.00C,
or s1Sl goo coo less than appropri.
ated last year There remains to
be appropriated in separate
measure, however. about $4,000. .
600, estimated by the navy depart
ment os the cost of cancellation of
contracts for ships not completed
and ordered scrappcd.
Briefly this is what the bill
does:
Cuts the enlisted personnel
from $4,000 to $1,000, plus 1000
apprentices
Leaves officer total substantially
intact, except nor the lrOpping Of
'SS9 reserve officers on active duty.
Authorizes commissions for only
200 of the 535 first class men at
Annapolis to be graduated In
June.
25i Vessels Laid Up.
Lays up 9j4 vessels of monde
script character"
Eighteen battleships are allotted
the United States under the naval
treaty. In rounding out a fleet the
bill reduces the number of de-
stfoNers in commission from 27S
to l03; authorizes s. submarines,
all the cruisers and light auxiliary
fCrait.
out Of the $1,000 enlisted per-
sonnel it provides 10000 for ships
afloat.
Provides for the same number Of
Officers in marine corps and 1850
enlisted men. a reduction of less
than 1000. This number, the navy
advised the committee will be cut
1880 with the withdrawal in the
next year of 1000 marines from
Santo Domingo. who will not re-
enlist.
Representative Kelley of Michi-
gan, chairman OF the sub-commit =
tee on appropriations which fran
ed apd reported the bill, made pub
lice with the bill the following
statement, explaining its provi-
sions:
The bill reported 10 the house
today carries an appropriation for
the coming fiscal year of s233.-
224, 900. This amount is $193.OOO.-
600 less than the naval estimates
and SlS1, 100000 less than the sum
carried in last years bill. It has
/ been possible TO make these heavy
/ reductions without disturbing the
tive-tive three ratio established
by the treaty,
Reasons for Reduction.
Ihfee important reasons form
the basis of this great reduction.
FIRST, because of agreements
reached by the conference on the
limitation of armaments stopping
all work on fourteen capital ships
under construction. and providing
for the scrapping of fifteen othec
capital ships of the pre- dread
nausht type.
second, by laying up surplus
destroyers built during the war
TOR convoy purposes and not re-
qulred in connection with the
eighteen battleship fleet allowed
N'f@ 'iNtAAN.
Third, by eliminating from the
list OF naval vessels to be kept I'm
commission some 25i vessels of a
nondescript character Of little or
no military value. including eagle
boats, sub chasers, tugs. Yachts.
motor boats and miscellaneous
craft of small tonnage by ths
score.
Eliminate Dcadwood.
'lf all Of these hundreds ot
small vessels, built or picked up
during the war to meet a special
need, are to be retained in the
service and kept in full commits.
SION tens of millions of dollars will
be required for their maintenance
repairs and personnel. No greater
service can be performed for the
navy at this time than to cut out
all this vast accumulation of dead
wood. It does not contribute a
feathers weight to the national de.
fense. In fact It constitutes mill.
stone around the neck Of the navy
we are providing in this bill
sufficient personnel to keep in fulI
commission 103 destroyers. or all
that the navy department requested
TO be kept in full commission. The
balance of the destroyers are a
military asset Of great value. They
are to be put ont of commission
but kept in first class condition
This policy will save enormous ex-
pense of personnel fuel oil, repairs
and upkeep Of this great fleet OF
surplus vessels.
Eighteen Capital Ships.
Under the terms of the treaty
the United States is to retain eight
cen battleships. The appropriation
carried in this bill is sufficient tC
provide personnel for keeping al
of these battleships in full commits.
sion with as large a complement OF
men aboard as has been carried ir
recent months. together with 10s
destroyers, eighty-four submarines
all our available cruisers. necessary
oilers. tenders, airplane> carriers
ammunition ships, colliers. store
/ ships and every other auxiliary re-
quired to make the eighteen CAPT.
!tal ships fleet complete. well round,
ed out and properly manned and
differed.
''Tn short the bill seeks 70 give
effect to all reductions made pos.
sible by the work of the conference
and at the time time makes ample
provision for maintaining our rela.
tive naval strength unimpaired.
Great Britain's Program.
at will be interesting to the
country to know that Great Britain
has provided In her estimates 70,
the coming year for but 9S,500 Of
ficers enlisted men, marines and
students in training schools ant
naval academies. This number
! also includes about 5000 men II
/ the coast guard service while oul
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