The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-15
SEEKS ID EXTEND LOWER RATIO TO
 SMALLER GRAF FTS
Oliver and Byrnes Discuss in Detail Proposed Appropria- ton for Navy-ArmS
 Conference Under Fire

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14.-Presi- dent Harding, according to a state ment made in the House today, ahas been engaged for several months" with the question of negotiating with the big powers abroad relative to limiting the construction of war ships under 10000 tons, which he is requested to do under provision of the naval supply bill. This in- formation as to reported attitude of the President was given by Rep resentative Lineberger, republican, California, during a. brief furry of debate, while Chairman Kelley of the subcommittee, in charge of the measure was seeking to explain the reasons for the request. It was ad- mittedly surprise to the commit- tee, which had not consulted the President prior to presentation of the bill.
 MT. Kelley had just declared that
 
 while the arms conference had af- forded net saving of S128,000,000. the general staff of the navy had recommended a projected program under the 10,000-ton limitation, en- Dailing the expenditure of $331 ,000,- GOO, when MT. Lineberger inter- rupted.
 Us Already Doing = "The gentleman is requesting the President Of the United States to do something which we and every one knows that he has been engaged in doing fer several months past said MT, Linebergelr Would It nat pc much better veabiaBe to approve that which the President is now. doins rather than to request him to do something that he has been doing for months|'
 Mr Kelley said he was nos. inter ested in the language of the request, as set forth in the bill, at th.e same time expressing the hope that the Californian agreed with the idea.
 T do agree with. you in primciple,' he replied.
 The only other reference to the President was made by Representa- tive Byrnes, South Carolina, ranking democrat of the subcommittee, who said he did not know what MT. Line berger had told the House, that "the President is now at work upon some plan for the calling of another pon- ference for the limitation of aHma- mept."
 Hopes He Is Correct
 T assume that the gentleman has the information from the President MT. Byrnes added, and 1 am delight ed to know that this is true. mast say that 1 should value the inDor- nation more and that l would neel more confident about it if only could have the gentleman state that he did receive it from the President but | do net sec him on the floor. So far as | am concerned, 1t is my earn est hope that 1t is correct"
 Many questions were directed at Mir Kelley as to what the other na- tions had done in the matter of naval reduction.
 T do not think any nation has Tun- dertaken to destroy any Cf It's shaps, although Greot Britain possibly has scrapped some of it's old ships. Which she had already begun to scrap be- fore the conferenee,' he said.
 "In other words. there have been no results thus far?" asked Represen- tative London, socialist. New York, and Mir. Kelley answered mo"
 Butler Interrupts
 Chairman Butler of the naval committee, broke into the discussion We have accomplished just this by this" he said. We have traded the 16-inch gun for two edgnt-inch guns and Representative Britten, Illinois, ranking republican of the naval com mittee, declared "we have lost the oppo rtunity to become the first naval power and we shall probably be the second or third. Generally, the bill had easy sailing.
 Mir Byrnes and Representative Oliver, democrat, Alabama, another member of the subcommittee, dis cussed the measure in detail and ex- plained how the arms conference had affected building progTams. MT. Oli yer said that out of 10 battleships and six battle cruisers authorized by the 1916 program. enly three would be retained by the navy under the arms treaty.
 Taking up the bill item by item, the House had covered one-fourth of the distance when it quit tonight and it will be held ia port tomorrow while an election contest is given right of way.
 YOU KNOW \ TONIC IS GOOD when if makeS Vou eat like a hungry