The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1922-04-19
NAVY ROW BREAKS
LOOSE IN HOUSE:
Big Navy" Supporter Is CHARGED
With Backing Down
CARCASS IN PLAIN VIEW
Whole Question Is How Many Officers,
Says Chairman Kelley


Washington, April 1S.-Decision
of "big navy" men, on the heels of
their victory for bigger enlisted
force, not to offer amendments to
the 1923 naval bill providing money
increases for shore station activi-
ties, provoked bitter row in the
House today, in the course of which
Chairman Kelley charged "thcy had
backed down, expecting the SEN
ate to complete the job"
Starting unexpectedly, it ragged
for an hour or more and drew
many into the fray. The "good
faith" of those who had changed
their plan at the eleventh hour was
questioned by Cairman Kelley and
Representative Mondell, the Repub-
lican leader, and quickly resented
by those who had put through the
amendment increasing the person
mel from $4,000 to $4,000.
Ready with proposals, one calling
for $6,oo0,00O additional for the
bureau of construction and repair,
and another for $2,O0O,OOO for the
bureau of engineers, the forces op-
posed to the committee measure
agreed to let the bill sail along AS
framed
Then all at once the storm
broke. 1t came while the House
was considering the item, providing.
commissions in the navy for only
200 of the Sal members of the first
year class at Annapolis. Pending
was proposal to commission all.
"This discussion" said Chairman
Kelley, "simply illustrates that cv-
evrybody wants disarmament in the
abstract, but not i'm the concrete"
Declaring the "cat was out of tn,
bag" he shouted to the House that
the whole question ut issue cir
clcd around the number of officers,
and then charged that the Navy
Department, in insisting on an in
creased personnel, wanted to put
200 additional dcstroycrs commission.
"Fhcy hoped to get these destroy
ers at the other end of the capi-
tol," he exclaimed "Thc carcass
is in plain view now. More de
stroyerS mean more repair work.
The men who wanted more money
for the navy yards have marched
right up to the place where they
could take it out. Then backed
away, saying, don't let go any fur
thcr; lets let the Senate do it. Half
the job was done here and they pro-
pose to finish it at the other end"
There came later denial from
Secretary Dcnby, transmitted through
Representative McArthur, Rcpubli-
can, Oregon, Of the charge that the
department contemplated putting into
service larger number of dcstroyCrS
than allotted by the bill. Half doz.
en- members, including Representative,
Taguc, of Massachusetts pnd Baker,
of California, both Democrats, "rn-
SCntca" the inSinuation that their
stand for an adequate navy was ac-
tttstlt'i ny StlliSH motives III Dtftl!
/ Of navy yards.
The storm subsequently blew away
but it broke again with unexpected
fury when Mr.. Mondcll, pressing the
big navy forces, declared he was
surprised that the amendments had
not been offered when the section
were reached, in view of the request,
last week that they he passed over
until the personnel had been fixed
The whole proceeding, he said, was
"farcial,"
Mr.. Macarthur, one of the leaders
for the $4,000 enlisted proposal, de.
| clarcd that Mr. Mondcll ought t.
put in the amendment himself cor
forever aftcrward hold his peace"
He said he had been informed by
Rear Admiral Butter that the cost
of maintaining 10000 additional en-
listed men would be $22,0O0,OO0, and
not $G0,00O,0O0, as claimed by sup
portcrs Of the bill
IA C'rlFD CJrDUTrT,ls