The New York herald., 1922-04-10
Minority Report Denounces
Plan for Cut Below the
Strength OF Japan.
$4,000 MEN ARE NEEDED
Proposal for $1,000 Would
Make u. s. Third Rate
Power, Is Claim.
BILL UP IN HOUSE TO-DAY
amendment to Increase Per-
sonnel to Be Offered Con-
4 gTess Stirred Over Issue.
Special Dispatch to The NEW YcRK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.

Special Dispatch. to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c.. April 8. I
The advocates Of an adequate. navy
for the United States delivered a series
Of assaults upon the majority mem
bers Of the House Appropriations Com
mittee tonight for proposing to cut
the personnel Of the navy to $1,000
enlisted men, thereby reducing Ameri-
can sea power to two thirds that of
Great Britain and slightly less than
that of Japan.
Six members of the Appropriations
Committee, headed by Representative
George H. Tinkham (Mass.), made
public the text Of q minority report
declaring that the committee in re-
porting the 1923 appropriations bill
providing for such slashing reduc-
ton is ignoring the American naval
policy of "5-5-3" provided in the naval
treaty negotiated at the arms confer
ence.
The majority members Of the COM
mittee are condemned for establishing
. policy regarded as dangerous to the
safety of the nation. They are charged
with forcing the United States into
third rank as a naval Power.
AT the same time two of this leading
members OF the House Naval Affairs
Committee, Representative Fred A. Brit
ten (Ill.) and Representative 9 N. Me-
Arthur (Ore), both Republicans, Is
sued statements assnilin3 the appropria-
tions committee majority in scathing
terms. charging 1t with seeking to de-
termine the naval policy OF the United
states through withholding adequate ap-
preparations. thereby assuming author
ity that always has been in the hands
OF the Naval Affairs Committee.
Naval Bin UP To-day.
"If the Committee on Appropriations
continues this policy Of attempting to
,egislate by Withholding funds for
The proper activities OF the Govern
hent." Representative Macarthur de-
clared. there will soon be revolt
among House members and the present
system Of centralizing all approrriating
.,ower in one committee will be aban-
vlned."
The House tomorrow will begin the
consideration Of The naval bill! which
provides the funds for the operation Of
the navy during the fiscal year 1928
and which disregards the request Of
the Navy Department for $4,000 per-
sonncl as minimum to adequately man
~ - tn, ho
ference. One of the most bitter fights
OF the present Congress Is expected
The outcome is In doubt. While the
Little Navy" forces are os tie opinion
that they have sixty votes margin for
the bill as reported by the appropria-
tIon5 committee majority, these who
favor an adequate navy say the chances
OF obtaining a compromise on $4,000
men are excellent. Representative Nc
Arthur. who will introduce an amend
ment to the bill as soon as it comes up
for consideration. asking for $1,000 men,
let 1t be known tonight that 200 men,
hers Of the House already are pledged
to this figure. Since the House at
this time consists OF 432 members 1t is
indicated that the result will be close.
Sentiment is crystalizing more in the
Senate, and there is every prospect that
the Senate will reject the 1900 proposal
II II should pass the House. Altogether
the contcs. Is one of the most intense
that has come up during the present
session Of Congress.
5-5-3 BASIS Ignored.
The members OF the appropriations
committee submitting the minority re-
port are Representative Tinkham
tMass.), Ware Pa.), Wason IN HI.
Magec On. ", Gallivnn (Mass) and
Hustled IN. Y.). Their report asks for a
navy with $1,000 officers and enlisted
men.
1--WE find nothing in the provisions OF
the bill that would justify the .assump-
ton that II does In fact provide ade-
auately for a navy OF relative strength
contemplated by the treaty" the minor
ity members declared.
The underlying principle on which
IN future the strength OF our navy must
be determined Is its strength In relation
to Great Britain and japan. This is the
policy OF the 5-5-3 ratio, that is equality
with Great Britain and 5-3 OF the
strength of Japan This is the basic
naval policy OF the United States as set
forth in the limitation OF arms treaty
which has been ratified BY the Senate.
"The bill ignores this basic policy and
bears no reference to the other Powers
whose strength must determine our pro-
portion In this ratio.
The dream of pacificists who dlsarm
The world through example has never
scrapped gun. The principle OF limi-
tation by international agreement, on
the contrary. has made the only great
step along this line.
This bill is an attempt to ignore the
agreement, 10 disregard the naviea OF
Great Britain and Japan, TO give us
the smallest force OF the three and TO
establish principle for which no re-
sponsibIe Statesman in the worlds his
tory has ever stood--the principle OF
limitation OF armament by example.
"The fact that the committees report
elbows a formida BILE array OF ships al
Continued on Page Five.